The Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council of Ministers of the European Union, met in Brussels, on 24 February.

The Council adopted conclusions on innovative education and training to invest in skills, in the context of the European Semester and in particular the education aspects of the 2014 Annual Growth Survey. The conclusions call for action to improve skills performance across the EU and to help protect investment in education and training as areas which can both foster and support growth. The Council also held a policy debate on skills and employability in the light of the results of recent OCDE surveys (PIAAC and PISA).

Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos, who chaired the meeting, stated that "member states should continue to invest in high quality education. They also need to accelerate the reform agenda in education and training to urgently address the challenge of skills mismatch which is one of the causes of young people unemployment."

The Hellenic Presidency proposed to the European Commission the implementation of the proposal made by the European Parliament on the establishment of a European Day against bullying and violence.