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European Skills Agenda

The new European Skills Agenda was announced on 1 July 2020. Its main aim is to ensure that the right to training and lifelong learning, becomes a reality across Europe.

The European Skills Agenda:

  • calls for collective action;
  • defines a clear strategy to ensure that skills lead to jobs;
  • helps people build their skills throughout life in an environment where lifelong learning is the norm;
  • identifies the significant financial means to invest in skills;
  • sets ambitious objectives for upskilling and reskilling to be achieved within the next 5 years.

The European Skills Agenda consists of four objectives and 12 Actions.

  1. To increase the number of adults who participate in learning every year.
  2. To increase the number of adults with low qualifications who participate in learning every year.
  3. To increase the number of job seekers with a recent learning experience.
  4. To increase the number of adults with at least basic digital skills

Vocational Education and Training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness, and resilience is one of the key Actions of the Skills Agenda. Vocational education and training will be an essential tool to help young people and adults find jobs after the Coronavirus crisis. The Commission has proposed a number of actions to make VET future-proof. Further information can be found in the VET Factsheet.

Another key action of the Skills Agenda is the relaunch of the Europass platform. Europass is the EU tool for workers, jobseekers, learners, and volunteers to plan their careers and get access to tools and information on working and learning in Europe. The platform offers a new, multilingual online e-Portfolio tool for people to record information on their skills, qualifications, and experiences, receive tailored suggestions of jobs and training and prepare and track job applications. Check out the Europass platform.

Details on all of the 12 actions can be found at the European Commission’s Q&A on the European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness, and resilience.

The Commission has made significant resources available for skills related activities. The European Social Fund Plus has a proposed budget of €86 billion, with the Just Transition Fund having a proposed budget of €40 billion.