Article III - 282 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe

EDUCATION, YOUTH, SPORT & VOCATIONAL TRAINING
(Final text signed by heads of government in June 2004)

1. The Union shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and complementing their action. It shall fully respect the responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.

The Union shall contribute to the promotion of European sporting issues, while taking account of its specific nature, its structures based on voluntary activity and its social and educational function.

2. Union action shall be aimed at:
(a) developing the European dimension in education, particularly through the teaching and dissemination of the languages of the Member States;
(b) encouraging mobility of students and teachers, inter alia by encouraging the academic recognition of diplomas and periods of study;
(c) promoting cooperation between educational establishments; (d) developing exchanges of information and experience on issues common to the education systems of the Member States;
(e) encouraging the development of youth exchanges and of exchanges of socio?educational instructors and encouraging the participation of young people in democratic life in Europe;
(f) encouraging the development of distance education;
(g) developing the European dimension in sport, by promoting fairness and openness in sporting competitions and cooperation between bodies responsible for sports, and by protecting the physical and moral integrity of sportsmen and sportswomen, especially young sportsmen and sportswomen.

3. The Union and the Member States shall foster cooperation with third countries and the competent international organisations in the field of education and sport, in particular the Council of Europe.

4. In order to contribute to the achievement of the objectives referred to in this Article,
(a) European laws or framework laws shall establish incentive actions, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States. They shall be adopted after consultation of the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee.
(b) the Council of Ministers, on a proposal from the Commission, shall adopt recommendations.