Investing in people for a competitive European Union
The European Union needs skilled people to respond to new challenges and stay competitive. But as job requirements change, many workers struggle to keep up and businesses cannot find the right talent. These skills and labour gaps are hindering European competitiveness. That is why the European Commission is introducing the Union of Skills, a plan to improve high quality education, training, and lifelong learning.
It aims to
- deliver higher levels of basic and advanced skills
- provide opportunities for people to regularly update and learn new skills
- facilitate recruitment by businesses across the EU
- attract, develop and retain top talent in Europe
Key figures
The Union of Skills will empower people across the EU with the skills they need to succeed in their educational and professional lives. It will also make it easier to use these skills in different EU countries. By addressing gender imbalances and helping European businesses find the workers they need, it aims to make the EU more competitive and inclusive.
Improving education and skills will also ensure that Europe’s social model remains affordable, thanks to its competitive economy.
Key components of the Union of Skills
Building skills for quality lives and jobs
Building skills, education, and training is essential for creating good jobs and improving lives. The Union of Skills aims to
- pilot a Basic Skills Support Scheme, so that every young person has strong reading, maths, science, and digital skills
- improve skills in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), promote STEM careers, attract more women, and prepare people for digital and clean-tech transitions, with the STEM education strategic plan
- introduce a new EU Vocational Education and Training (VET) Strategy to make vocational education and training more attractive, innovative, and inclusive
Regular upskilling and reskilling
Learning new skills should be a regular part of people's professional lives to keep up with evolving economies and ensure lifelong learning.
The Commission will
- propose to expand the use of micro-credentials as flexible learning solutions
- reinforce the Pact for Skills to help more workers gain new skills in strategic sectors
- pilot a Skills Guarantee to offer workers at risk of unemployment the opportunity to gain new skills
The EU will support the roll-out of EU Skills Academies to provide businesses with the skills needed for the green transition and the Clean Industrial Deal.
Helping the free movement of workers
Circulating skills across the EU will unlock the full potential of the Single Market. The Union of Skills focuses on
- a Skills portability initiative, to enhance the portability of skills and qualifications across the EU, independently of where they were acquired
- working towards a European degree to facilitate the development of innovative joint study programmes across the EU
- a new European VET diploma
- strengthening European Universities alliances and Centres of Vocational Excellence
- European School Alliances to enhance teacher and student mobility
Attracting, developing, and retaining talent
Europe must attract, develop, and keep top talent crucial for innovation, growth, and competitiveness.
The Commission will
- set up an EU Talent Pool for the recruitment of jobseekers from outside the EU at all skills levels, especially for jobs facing skill shortages
- present a Visa Strategy to make it easier for top students, skilled workers, and researchers to come to the EU
- launch a ‘Choose Europe’ initiative under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions to attract and retain talent
A groundbreaking new governance
Delivering on the Union of Skills will require a strong governance. To achieve this, the Union of Skills will
- be informed by a European Skills Intelligence Observatory
- bring together education and training providers, business leaders, and social partners, through a European Skills High-Level Board, to provide comprehensive insights on skills to the EU policy makers
The Commission will introduce a new Recommendation on education and skills in the European Semester, the annual exercise that coordinates the EU's economic and social policies, to guide EU countries and relevant actors.
Background
In the political guidelines, President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of education and skills for EU competitiveness. In March 2025, the Commission proposed the Union of Skills, an overarching strategy that will mutually reinforce the Competitiveness Compass, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the Preparedness Union Strategy. Inspired by the Draghi and Letta reports, it builds on the European Education Area and the European Research Area.
The Commission will continue its dialogue with social partners and all other stakeholders on the future of work in Europe starting at the European Employment & Social Rights Forum 2025, the EU’s flagship event for discussing key challenges facing Europe’s workforce.