After the mobility hindrances had been published in 1996 by the EU commission, the development ministers of the G8 countries, under reference to the Erasmus program obligated themselves in spring 2000 to double the mobility of studying, teachers, researchers and administration personnel of the development area until 2010. This was consolidated through the decision of an action plan by the heads of state and heads of the government of the EU in the same year. In order to promote the recognition of educations abroad as well as the participation in voluntary services.

Besides the obligation of the European council of Lisbon in March 2000 to make the Union the "most competitive and most dynamic knowledgebased economic area of the world" the European council of Barcelona confirms in March 2002 this intention with the concrete goal of letting the general and professional development in Europe become a worldwide quality reference until 2010.

With the decision of the commission in November 2001 this includes the goal of "creating a European room of lifelong learning". This is supposed to be guaranteed by the increased investment in people, and their knowledge as well as the support of acquisition for basis qualifications as well as more innovative and more flexible forms of learning. People of all age groups should be enabled to have an equal and unhindered access to high-value learning possibilities and a multitude of learning experiences throughout Europe.