The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has implemented a project funded by the European Commission to analyse and evaluate the national vocational training of Landcape Gardeners in member and candidate countries of the EU. Among the ELCA partners who have initiated the joint project are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Due to the differences in national vocational training systems within EU countries, consistent or minimum standards for the training of Landscape Gardeners are a precondition to meet future economic challenges in this sector at a European level. The project aims to smooth the way for an enduring sectoral dialogue between the social partners in the EU landscaping sector. The survey is chiefly organised and carried out in cooperation with Dr. Heike Grimm, University of Erfurt, Germany. For Further information about the project contact: Dr. Heike Grimm, Associate Professor, University of Erfurt, Germany, tel: 0049-361-737 4937, Email: heike.grimm@uni-erfurt.de www.elca.info