This is the 7th annual report examining performance and progress under the European Union's Education and Training 2010 Work Programme which was launched following agreement within the Council of Education Ministers in 2001. The new strategic framework for European cooperation in Education and training (known as ET 2020) adopted by the Council in May 2009 will carry on the work between now and 2020. The purpose of this report is to provide data and research findings to underpin this policy co-operation at European level. The core of the report consists of an analysis of the progress made towards the common objectives agreed by the Council as the basis for this cooperation. The report reviews both the benchmarks agreed in May 2003 as the basis to monitor progress until 2010; and the updated set of benchmarks to be used to monitor progress until 2020 which were adopted by the Council in May 2009. It is compiled by the Commission services using existing data series and research findings. Member States, through the Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks (SGIB; see Annex 1) are invited to verify the data during compilation of the report