The present publication is the first outcome of the European project "Labouratory" which aims at elaborating forecasting methodology applicable in the transition countries of Central Europe. This paper takes stock of the labour market data and methods used to forecast education and training needs in France : at the national level, only one institute (BIPE) suggests a model for calculating recruitement needs according to professional categories ; on the sectoral level, roughly twenty professional branches carried out forecasting study contracts ; OREF Bourgogne works at the regional level with available data national statistics in composition with qualitative school and company surveys, broadly applying networking and dialogue with social partners.