This document launches a wide public consultation with all those involved in and with an interest in the European Union's (EU's) education, training, and youth programs called Socrates, Tempus, Leonardo da Vinci, and Youth for Europe. It is the first step toward preparing the new generation of programs to start in 2007 and will inform the Commission of European Communities's upcoming detailed proposals for such programs. Sections 2-4 set out the context for this consultation, reporting what has been achieved so far in EU programs; what have been the main developments at European level in education, training, and youth policy; and the scope of program action in these fields. Consultees are invited to respond to a series of 13 key questions that are set out in detail in Section 5. They are divided into these three sections: the type of action to be supported through European programs in the period after 2006; the geographical coverage of the programs (which countries should be involved in which actions); and the design and structure of the new generation of programs. Section 6 explains the different ways the consultees can send in their views. The appendix contains a list of 17 web addresses, offering more information about each action or policy mentioned in the document. (YLB)