Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on establishing a Skills Guarantee
Date: 2016-06-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: adult education, continuing education, digital literacy, education policy, fight against unemployment, labour market, skilled worker, unskilled worker, updating of skills

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 10.6.2016  COM(2016) 382 final 2016/0179 (NLE)   Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on establishing a Skills Guarantee  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

• 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

Skills matter 

High  productivity  and  sustained  competitiveness  and  growth  depend  on  a  skilled  and 
adaptable workforce and on making full use of the skills available. Employability rests on the 
quality of one's skills. Countries with high shares of adults with low proficiency in basic skills 
(literacy, numeracy) and digital skills have lower levels of labour productivity and ultimately 
lower prospects for growth and competitiveness1. There is scope to make more efficient use of 
Europe’s  human  capital  across  the  life  course,  and  indeed  to  improve  the  Union’s  human 
capital  by  raising  overall  levels  of  skills.  National  and  EU-level  resources  need  to  be 
mobilised to this end. The 2016 Annual Growth Survey2 emphasises that 'smart investments 
in Europe's human capital' and equipping people with relevant skills to drive innovation and 
competitiveness  and  to  reach  high  productivity,  are  the  best  way  to  prevent  individuals 
becoming unemployed, and to reduce the risk of poverty and social exclusion.  

Basic skills and educational attainment in Europe 

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) Survey of Adult 
Skills (PIAAC) shows that one in five European adults (aged 16-65) has only a rudimentary 
level of literacy, while one in four has only the lowest level of skill3 in numeracy and can only 
solve  very  simple  tasks  using  ICT.  The  OECD  PIAAC  survey  also  shows  that  educational 
attainment is closely correlated with proficiency in foundation skills, even though skills level 
may  vary  considerably  among  individuals  with  similar  qualifications.  When  it  comes  to 
educational attainment, on average around one quarter of Europeans in the  25-64 age group 
do not have an upper secondary education qualification; in some countries the share is over 
40%  and  up  to  57%.  Moreover,  education  outcomes  are  not  evenly  distributed  across 
population  sub-groups;  for  instance,  around  44%  of  non-EU  (‘third-country’)  nationals 
residing in the EU lack an upper secondary education qualification (i.e. around 7% of adults 
in the EU without upper secondary education) and are more likely than EU nationals to have 
low levels of basic skills.  

The  impact  of  low  skills  on  individuals  is  a  multi-faceted  issue  with  considerable 
consequences. Low skilled people generally fare less well in the labour market (with higher 
unemployment  rates  and  long  term  unemployment  rates,  slower  transitions  out  of 
unemployment,  lower  wages,  etc.)  and  experience  a  higher  risk  of  poverty  and  social 
exclusion.  During  the  recession  their  labour  market  prospects  deteriorated  further:  the 
unemployment  rate  for  those  with  at  most  lower  secondary  education  rose  from  9.7%  (in 
2008) to 17.4% (in 2014), against an increase of less than 3 percentage points among those 
with  higher  levels  of  education.  In  recent  years  the  great  majority  of  employment  losses 
occurred among the low qualified people (over nine million job losses).  

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OECD, Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of Adult Skills  
Annual Growth Survey 2016 Strengthening the recovery and fostering convergence, Brussels, 
26.11.2015, COM (2015) 690 final, 
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/2016/ags2016_annual_growth_survey.pdf  
In  this  document  the  term  “skills”  is  used  in  a  broad  sense  and  refers  to  what  a  person  knows, 
understands and is capable of doing, this encompasses knowledge and competences 

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Low  skills  may  have  an  impact  also  on  the  children  of  people  in  this  situation,  as  PIAAC 
showed  that  in  some  countries  children  of  parents  with  low  educational  achievement  have 
significantly  lower  levels  of  proficiency  in  the  skills  set  tested  than  the  children  of  parents 
with higher levels of education.  

The costs of this situation are high, not only to the individual but to the economy and society 
as a whole, including public expenditure on unemployment and social benefits. 

New challenges 

New  ways  of  working,  including  collaborative  economy  models,  increased independent  and 
contract-based work, more frequent job changes (for necessity and opportunity), and changes 
in work organisation all have an impact on the types of skills needed. Forecasts indicate that 
while low skilled jobs will not disappear, no more that 15% of the workforce will fill these 
jobs4.  A  trend  towards  more  skill-intensive  jobs  at  all  levels  will  continue  and  many 
traditional manual or routine jobs will decline or mutate to require higher basic skills.  

Demographic trends will lead to an ever shrinking workforce with the population of working 
age  (20-64)  being  projected  to  decrease  from  306  million  to  269  million.  These  trends  can 
exacerbate  skills  mismatches  and  skills  shortages  in  labour  markets,  thereby  hampering 
investment,  innovation  and  growth.  Skills  mismatches  and  shortages  can  also  hinder 
productivity  growth  and  the  reallocation  of  resources  across  sectors  within  and  across 
Member  States  which  in  turn  can  create  obstacles  to  reaping  the  full  benefits  of  the  Single 
Market and further lower resilience to shocks in vulnerable economies. These trends represent 
a  challenge  which  underlines  the  need  to  integrate  untapped  human  capital  to  the  labour 
market  especially  among  low  skilled  adults.  In  order  to  balance  these  demographic  trends, 
there  is  a  clear  need  to  increase  the  employment  rate,  increase  the  productivity  of  the 
workforce and keep older generations in work for longer. Migrants can also contribute to fill 
the gap, provided that their skills meet the needs of the labour market and are well used. 

Most  members  of  Europe's  workforce  in  the  next  two  decades  are  already  adults  today. 
Investment  in  the  continuous  improvement  of  their  skills  will  determine  whether  the  EU  is 
capable of reaping the benefits of technological advances and ensuring competitiveness. More 
needs to be done to support the continuous skills development of the workforce.  

Obstacles to upskilling 

All these challenges can only be addressed by empowering people – whether in employment 
or not - to acquire the skills they need either to enter the labour market or, when employed, to 
keep up with increasing skills demands.  

However,  a  significant  share  of  the  working  age  population,  including  people  already  in 
employment lack the basic literacy, numeracy and digital skills they need to take part in the 
vocational  training  necessary  to  keep  pace  with  the  changing  demands  of  their  job  and  to 
avoid  skills  loss.  Lower-skilled  workers,  together  with  older  workers  and  those  without  the 
opportunity  to  develop  their  skills  throughout  their  working  life,  are  most  at  risk  of  skill 
obsolescence.  

Furthermore, working low-skilled people tend to be employed in jobs that offer no on-the-job 
learning,  to  receive  less  training  organised  by  employers,  and  compared  with  high-skilled 

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http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/5526 

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people to miss out on the benefits of continued learning. The result is that they get stuck in a 
‘low skills-poor jobs trap’, in unskilled work, with few opportunities to improve their skills.  

While the solution to addressing these challenges is evident (i.e. upskilling people who lack 
the basic skills to successfully enter or keep pace with the labour market), the main obstacle to 
taking this forward is the limited participation of adults, and especially low-skilled adults, in 
education  and  training.  According  to  the  Labour  Force  Survey,  only  10.8%  of  adults  had 
taken  part  in  any  kind  of  learning  in  the  four  weeks  before  the  survey,  compared  with  the 
agreed European target of 15% by 2020. The rate of participation in learning for low-qualified 
adults  is  even  lower:  only  4.3%  of  them  on  average  take  part  in  learning.5  There  is  thus  an 
issue  of  equal  access  to  learning  opportunities  that  needs  to  be  tackled,  which  also  affects 
third country nationals. 

This limited participation in further learning is due to both structural and situational obstacles, 
which are closely interlinked.  

Structural obstacles relate among others to the limited guidance available to make the people 
concerned aware of the benefits of upskilling and of the available learning opportunities and 
support  measures  but  also  to  the  limited  availability  of  learning  opportunities  adapted  to 
adults. 

In most Member States, guidance services focus their efforts largely on getting unemployed 
people  back  into  the  labour  market  quickly;  in  most  cases  there  are  no  specific  support 
measures  to  provide  them  with  learning  opportunities  to  improve  their  skills.  Furthermore, 
adults who are in employment or who are economically inactive as well as being low-skilled 
also need further learning and would benefit from access to guidance services. 

Adults also seldom engage in further learning if this means going back to school and starting 
all over again. Their participation could be boosted by giving them the chance of having the 
skills they had acquired through non formal and informal learning validated and recognised, 
and identifying their upskilling needs, by means of a skills assessment. The Recommendation 
of  20  December  2012  on  the  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning  invited  the 
Member  States  to  put  in  place  national  arrangements  for  the  validation  of  non-formal  and 
informal learning by the end of 2018. The latest (2014) inventory on non-formal and informal 
learning  shows  that  there  is  generally  good  progress  in  setting  up  validation  arrangements. 
However more needs to be done to make these widely available: only in eight countries are 
disadvantaged and low-skilled groups particularly likely to benefit from validation, while in 
15 Member States a skills audit system is not in place.  

As the situation across Member States differs and as the group of low-skilled adults comprises 
several very different sub-groups (e.g. employed, unemployed, economically inactive, people 
in  rural  areas,  migrants,  disadvantaged  minority  groups),  there  is  no  ‘one-size  fits-all’ 
solution; furthermore, within each sub-group, each individual has specific needs, so a tailored 
approach is needed. Individualised support, though, is unevenly available across the EU. 

Flexible  learning  pathways  (e.g.  distance  learning,  blended  learning,  modular  learning  etc.) 
have  been  shown  to  encourage  adults’  participation  in  learning,  but  in  many  cases  the 
provision  available  does  not  yet  meet  their  needs.  Only  half  of  the  Member  States  have 
dedicated  programmes  or  frameworks  for  providing  adults  with  basic  skills.  Only  3.6%  of 

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Eurostat Labour Force Survey 2014 

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Europeans  gained  their  upper  secondary  qualification  after  age  25,  and  there  are  substantial 
differences between countries. Member States that offer flexible modular programmes appear 
to have higher shares of the adult population gaining an upper secondary qualification at age 
25 or above. 

Situational  obstacles  relate  to  the  specific  context  of  the  individuals  concerned,  and  may 
include  family  responsibilities,  conflicting  time  schedules,  costs,  lack  of  employer  support, 
distance  etc.  Of  these,  the  first  two  are  the  most  frequently  cited  in  the  Adult  Education 
Survey. Lack of motivation is another obstacle which may also be due to a lack of awareness 
of the need to upskill and of the benefits of investing in skills; research also shows that those 
with  weak  basic  skills  are  often  unable  or  unwilling  to  recognise  their  weaknesses  and, 
because of this, see no need to improve their skills.  

Objectives 

This initiative aims to improve people’s life chances and employability, leading therefore to a 
more  resilient  human  capital  base  and  higher  and  more  inclusive  growth  across  the  EU.  To 
make  a  tangible  impact,  considerable  political  and  financial  effort  will  need  to  be  made.  In 
keeping with the Stability and Growth Pact, Member States  will have to  mobilise sufficient 
public  investments  in  people's  skills.  However,  Member  States  stand  to  benefit  from  these 
investments as they will help bring more people into jobs and strengthen the productivity of 
the workforce.  

It  seeks  to  support  individuals  who  left  the  initial  education and  training  system  without  an 
upper secondary qualification to access upskilling opportunities for improving their literacy, 
numeracy and digital skills or for acquiring a qualification at EQF level 4 or equivalent. The 
European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF)  level  46  is  in  most  countries  the  level  of 
qualification equivalent to an upper secondary qualification.  

The Skills Guarantee will comprise three-steps: 

a  skills  assessment,  enabling  low-qualified  adults to  identify  their  existing  skills  and 

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their need to upskill;  

the  design  and  delivery  of  an  education  and  training  offer  tailored  to  the  specific 

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situation of each individual, building on his/her existing skills;  

the  validation  and  recognition  of  the  skills  acquired  through  the  personalised 

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upskilling pathway.  

The Recommendation is geared to adults who left the education and training system without 
achieving  an  upper  secondary  qualification  (EQF  4)  and  who  are  not  eligible  for  support 
under the Youth Guarantee.  

The  recommendation  sets  out  a  ‘pathway’  consisting  of  a  linked  series  of  targeted 
interventions that would improve and consolidate the support targeted at this group and lead 
to the development of the necessary skills and qualifications.  

These measures are part of a more comprehensive set of policy actions that tackle the broader 

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See section I.2 of the accompanying technical annex SWD(2016) 195  

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skills  challenges:  raising  the  overall  level  of  skills  in  the  EU,  making  better  use  of  existing 
skills and anticipating the skills needed. 

In  designing  their  interventions,  Member  States  can  build  on  years  of  mutual  learning  and 
experience in the field of education, training and employment policies, as well as through the 
financing  of  the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds  and  in  particular  the  European 
Social Fund.  

• 

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

This initiative is part of the New Skills Agenda initiative under the European Commission's 
number  one  political  priority,  "A  New  Boost  for  Jobs,  Growth  and  Investment".  It  is  an 
initiative that will strengthen the inclusiveness of the labour market and social investment and 
move  Europe  towards  upward  social  convergence.  It  is  consistent  and  complementary  with 
other policies and initiatives in the areas of education and training and employment. 

A  number  of  EU  policies,  instruments  and  initiatives  are  in  place  to  support  upskilling,  in 
particular  the  European  Semester  of  economic  policy  coordination,  and  the  European 
Structural  and  Investment  Funds  and  in  particular  the  European  Social  Fund  (ESF),  (more 
details are in the ‘budgetary implications’ section below). 

The  recommendation  will  support  the  reform  process  started  under  the  Europe  2020 
objectives,  notably  by  contributing  to  the  goals  of  increasing  the  employment  rate  and 
reducing poverty and mitigating the impact of early school-leaving. The overall objectives of 
the  European  Semester  of  economic  policy  coordination  are  supported  by  the  integrated 
guidelines, which  include both the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Employment 
Guidelines (jointly referred to as the “integrated guidelines”). The former aim in part to boost 
growth, by carrying out structural reforms and removing key barriers to growth and jobs. The 
latter cover priorities such as facilitating job creation, enhancing labour and skills supply, and 
fostering  social  inclusion,  combatting  poverty  and  promoting  equal  opportunities.  The  2015 
country  specific  recommendations7  stress  that  efficient,  effective  and  forward  looking 
vocational education and training programmes,  including targeted adult learning, play a key 
role in improving employability. They also note that public employment services need to be 
strengthened  in  some  Member  States  and  that  active  labour  market  measures  could  more 
efficiently target those furthest from the labour market. 

Specifically in education and training, the current proposal will build upon several existing 
measures by acting on key policy messages concerning the need to reduce the number of low 
skilled  adults.  It  will  also  encourage  Member  States  to  enhance  synergies  between  policy 
measures  that  need  to  work  together  in  order  to  achieve  the  expected  results,  in  particular 
active  labour  market  policies,  guidance  and  counselling,  education  and  training  policies, 
including validation, and social policies. 

The  Strategic  Framework  for  European  Cooperation  in  education  and  training  (ET  2020) 
offers  a  platform  for  Member  States  to  work  together in  a policy  area,  for  which  they  have 
competence.  The  ET  2020  Joint  report  adopted in  November  2015  set  out  revised  priorities 
including  for  the  European  Agenda  for  Adult  Learning8,  emphasising  the  provision  of 
literacy,  numeracy  and  digital  skills,  and  providing  sufficient  second-chance  opportunities 

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Council Recommendations on the National Reform Programmes, OJ 215/C 272 of 18.08.2015 
Council Resolution on a renewed European agenda for adult learning (2011/C 372/01) 

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leading  to  a  recognised  EQF  qualification  for  those  without  level  4  qualifications  (upper 
secondary education). 

The  EQF  framework  includes  qualifications  based  on  learning  outcomes  acquired  through 
general  or  vocational  formal  routes  (such  as  upper  secondary  qualifications).  At  the  same 
time,  the  learning  outcomes  approach  promoted  by  the  EQF  facilitates  the  acquisition  of 
qualifications based on learning in non-formal or informal settings, which constitutes most of 
adult learning. EQF level 4 is the level at which most of the Member States have referenced 
their  upper  secondary  qualifications,  the  educational  level  that  is  increasingly  becoming  a 
threshold  for  getting  better  access  to  the  labour  market  and  for  continuing  education  and 
training.  The  employment  rate  for  people  who  have  not  attained  this  level  is  25  percentage 
points lower than the rate for those who have; the number of jobs suitable for people without 
an  upper  secondary  education  is  rapidly  decreasing;  and  even  jobs  classed  as  ‘low-skilled’ 
will in future require a higher level of skills. 

The 2006 Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council on key competences 
for lifelong learning is being implemented by Member States through curricula for all levels 
of  education  and  training  and  notes  the  importance  of  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital 
competences.  

The 2008 European Parliament and Council Recommendation on the European Qualifications 
Framework  (EQF)  for  lifelong  learning  establishes  a  reference  framework  of  qualification 
levels defined through learning outcomes. It provides that each level can be achieved through 
various  routes  of  formal,  non-formal  and  informal  learning.  Alongside  the  other  tools,  the 
European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) is a credit system 
based on learning outcomes that facilitates the validation of non-formal and informal learning 
and the modular progression towards a qualification.  

The Council Recommendation9 (2011) on policies to reduce early school-leaving provides a 
framework for comprehensive strategies including prevention, intervention and compensation 
measures, the latter being aimed at re-engaging people who have left education and training 
without an upper secondary education. Compensatory routes e.g. second chance education or 
non-formal learning accompanied by validation of prior learning and opportunities to re-enter 
education  and  training  help  young  people  to  complete  their  education.  Measures  aimed  at 
reducing  early  school-leaving  have  been  introduced  by  all  Member  States  and  are  having  a 
positive  effect;  in  2015  the  EU  average  rate  of  early  school  leaving  (age  group  18-24)  was 
around one percentage point away from the Europe 2020 benchmark of 10%, but with wide 
variations between Member States. Even if the benchmark is achieved, the remaining 10% of 
people  in  this  age  group  will  face  serious  problems  accessing  sustainable  employment. 
Moreover,  some  sub-groups  in  the  older  age  cohorts  remain  affected  by  high  rates  of  early 
school  leaving,  in  particular  adults  who  joined  the  workforce  at  an  early  age,  non-EU 
nationals residing in the EU and other persons with a migrant background. 

The 2012 Council Recommendation on validation of non-formal and informal learning, calls 
on  Member  States  by  2018  to  set  up  national  arrangement  for  the  validation  (identification, 
documentation, assessment and certification) of non-formal and informal learning, including 
possibilities  for  unemployed  people  or  those  at  risk  of  unemployment  to  undergo  a  ‘skills 

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audit’  to  identify  their  skills.  The  arrangements  put  in  place  for  validation  and  skills 
assessment will play a key role in the delivery of the Skills Guarantee. 

Specifically  in  employment,  the  current  proposal  will  complement  and  build  upon  several 
existing measures.  

The  2013  Council  Recommendation  on  establishing  a  Youth  Guarantee10  provides  that  all 
young people under 25 – whether registered with employment services or not  – get a good-
quality,  concrete  offer  within  four  months  of  leaving  formal  education  or  becoming 
unemployed.  The  offer  should  be  for  a  job,  apprenticeship,  traineeship,  or  continued 
education  and  be  adapted  to  each  individual  need  and  situation.  The  Skills  Guarantee  will 
provide support for all adults, whether in employment or not. However, for the unemployed it 
will complement the Youth Guarantee, meaning that it will not cover people who are eligible 
for support under the Youth Guarantee, as these can already receive an offer for education and 
training. 

The 2016 Council Recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed into the 
labour  market  strengthened  support  for  more  than  11  million  people  who  have  been 
unemployed for over a year. It recommends that long-term unemployed people be offered in-
depth  individual  assessments  and  guidance  and  a  job  integration  agreement  comprising  an 
individual offer and the identification of a single point of contact at the very latest when they 
reach  18  months  of  unemployment.  The  Skills  Guarantee  recommendation  could  provide 
guidance  as  to  how  low  qualified  unemployed  people  can  be  provided  with  upskilling 
opportunities as part of job integration agreements.  

• 

Consistency with other EU policies 

This  proposal  supports  the  Commission's  priority  to  boost  jobs  and  growth.  The  initiative 
aims to give people a real chance to fulfil their potential and participate in the labour market. 
By lifting more people above the employability threshold it will help Europe to make better 
use  of  its  human  capital.  Strengthening  this  type  of  social  investment  promotes  Europe's 
competitiveness, upwards social convergence and economic growth.  

The Commission has recently presented a first outline of the European Pillar of Social Rights 
announced  by  President  Juncker  in  September  2015  and  has  launched  a  broad  public 
consultation to gather views and feedback from all concerned. The European Pillar of Social 
Rights will set out a number of essential principles to support well-functioning and fair labour 
markets and welfare systems within the euro area. The first section of the outline relates to the 
need to ensure that everyone has lifelong access to quality education and training to acquire 
an adequate level of basic skills and key competences for active participation in society and 
employment.  It  specifically  notes  that  low-skilled  young  people  and  working-age  adults 
should be encouraged to up-grade their skills.  

For  the  purposes  of  integrating  migrants,  the  Common  Basic  Principles  for  Immigrant 
Integration  Policy  in  the  EU  adopted  in  2004  state  that  ‘Efforts  in  education  are  critical  to 
preparing  immigrants,  and  particularly  their  descendants,  to  be  more  successful  and  more 
active  participants  in  society’.  Member  States have  taken a number of  measures to  improve 
the  education  level  and  employability  of  non-EU  nationals  and  others  with  a  migrant 
background, in some cases with the support of EU funding, in particular the ESF. In 2014, the 

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Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (2013/C 120/01) 

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Council adopted conclusions on the integration of non-EU nationals legally residing in the EU 
which  reaffirmed  the  Common  Basic  Principles.  The  Skills  Guarantee  can  contribute  to  the 
integration  of  third-country  nationals  and  is  consistent  with  the  EU  initiatives  linked  to  the 
European Agenda on Migration. 

2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The  proposal  is  based  on  Articles  165  and  166  of  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the 
European  Union  (TFEU),  while  contributing  also  to  promoting  a  skilled,  trained  and 
adaptable  workforce  and  a  high  level  of  employment  as  called  for  in  Articles  145  and  147 
TFEU. Article 165 of the TFEU provides that the Union shall contribute to the development 
of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by 
supporting  and  supplementing  their  action,  while  fully  respecting  the  responsibility  of  the 
Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems. Article 
166 of the TFEU provides that the Union shall implement a vocational training policy which 
shall  support  and  supplement  the  action  of  the  Member  States,  while  fully  respecting  the 
responsibility of the Member States for the content and organisation of vocational training.  

The  current  initiative  recommends  common  lines  of  action  to  be  implemented  by  Member 
States,  with  European  support.  It  proposes  actions  that  will  need  implementation  at  the  EU 
and  Member  State  level.  The  EU  level  will  provide  coordination,  in  particular  with  the 
relevant  European  instruments  and  fostering  peer  learning.  Member  States  remain  entirely 
responsible  for  the  design,  development  and  implementation  of  their  arrangements  (laws, 
regulations, collective agreements) for putting in place the Skills Guarantee at national level. 
Action  at  the  two  levels  is  complementary  and  the  prerogatives  of  Member  States  are 
safeguarded. 

• 

Subsidiarity  

Reasons for policy action at EU level  

The issues dealt with by this initiative are all of EU relevance; their scale means that coherent 
and coordinated action is required. Action by all Member State is needed to focus both policy 
attention and investment on achieving a significant fall in the percentage of low skilled adults 
in  the  EU.  A  coordinated  approach  at  EU  level  would  ensure  synergies  and  cooperation, 
maximising positive spill-overs.  

In its work towards the development of quality education and training and the implementation 
of  a  vocational training policy,  the EU  is  responsible  for  encouraging co-operation  between 
Member  States,  supporting  and  supplementing  their  action where  necessary.  Member  States 
have agreed, within the strategic framework for education and training 2020, that the share of 
low-skilled people is too high and that this challenge needs to be addressed at EU level. While 
respecting the responsibility of the Member States, the recommendation gives concrete shape 
to these ambitions by offering guidance on measures to improve upskilling provision for low 
qualified people, building on best practices identified through mutual learning and analytical 
work.  

In developing a strategy for employment, the EU is responsible for coordinating, encouraging 
cooperation  and  supporting  the  Member  States’  action.  While  respecting  Member  States’ 
competences, the Recommendation gives substance to this ambition, in particular by building 
upon the exchange of best practices.  

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Low  labour  market  performance  at  national  level  due  to  large  percentages  of  low-skilled 
adults  and  poor  social  inclusion  of  people  in  this  category  may  have  negative  economic 
consequences  and  undermine  economic  and  social  cohesion  across  the  EU.  There  are  many 
challenges linked to providing upskilling opportunities and this new initiative will support a 
move  towards  greater  efficiency  and  higher  standards  in  delivering  such  opportunities.  It 
builds on successful practices at national level and translates these into a concrete action that 
will  help  Member  States  increase  the  quality  and  impact  of  their  education  and  training, 
employment and social policies targeted at low-skilled people. 

• 

Proportionality 

The recommendation gives an indication of actions to be taken at national level. It complies 
with  the  principle  of  proportionality  since  it  offers  a  flexible  framework  and  guidance  for 
modernisation and reform processes in the Member States. It builds upon examples of good 
practice from around the EU and recognises that different national, regional or local situations 
could  lead  to  differences  in  how  the  recommendation  is  implemented.  Member  States  will 
designate  the  authorities  responsible  for  implementing  the  Recommendation  and  may 
prioritise target groups, depending on national circumstances and available resources. 

The  Recommendation  provides  a  framework  for  action  to  support  and  upskill  low  qualified 
adults  and  its  scope  is  limited  to  guiding  public  authorities  and  other  providers  on  the  key 
steps  in  designing  and  implementing  a  Skills  Guarantee.  It  also  preserves  a  high  degree  of 
flexibility  for  Member  States  in  the  design  and  substance  of  implementation  measures  at 
national level. 

The  proposed  action  respects  Member  States’  practices  and  the  diversity  of  systems.  It 
accommodates  Member  States'  need  for  a  differentiated  approach  reflecting  the  different 
economic financial and social situations, and the diverse labour market conditions. 

The Skills Guarantee is to  be delivered on a voluntary  basis, based on the commitment and 
interest of the individual concerned to engage in further upskilling, and in accordance with the 
implementing arrangements put in place by the Member States. 

• 

Choice of instrument 

The  choice  of  instrument  -  a  Council  Recommendation  -  is  proportionate;  it  builds  on  the 
existing  body  of  European  law  and  is  in  line  with  the  type  of  instruments  available  for 
European action in the areas of education and training and employment. Past experience, in 
particular with the EQF, has shown that a recommendation is capable of generating structural 
reforms at Member States level. 

3. 

• 

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EX-POST 

EVALUATIONS, 

OF 

STAKEHOLDER 

Stakeholder consultations 

Targeted  consultations  on  the  possible  approaches  to  addressing  the  challenge  of  low  skills 
levels  in  the  working  age  population  have  taken  place  in  various  settings  and  with  key 
stakeholders, as described further below.  

Social  partners  indicated  broad  support  for  a  skills  initiative  and  a  willingness  to  work  to 
tackle  the  challenge  of  low-  skilled  adults.  The  Trade  Unions  perceive  basic  skills  as  a 
fundamental right and underlined the importance of adequate guidance services for all and the 
need to take account each individual’s prior learning; they noted that low-skilled workers are 

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often  dissuaded  from  undertaking  the  training  they  need  because  of  family  or  work 
commitments. They believe that Member States should have flexibility over implementation. 
The  Employers  noted  that  ensuring  the  acquisition  of  basic  skills  is  a  Member  State 
responsibility  and  stressed  the  importance  of  the  individual’s  personal  commitment  to 
upskilling.  The  relevance  of  skills  to  companies’  needs  should  be  taken  into  account. 
Employers suggested that provision should be  adapted to the circumstances of specific sub-
groups of low-skilled people (e.g. unemployed / employed), and noted the need for learning 
provision to be appropriate to the needs of an adult target group.  

Directors General for Vocational Education  and Training (VET) were  also consulted on the 
question on how to tackle the low skilled gap for people of working age. Many respondents 
supported the need for action targeted at low-skilled adults. Issues highlighted were the need 
to  motivate adults  to  take  part  in  learning,  to  tailor  provision  to  the  needs  of  the  learner, to 
address  specific  sub-groups  of  low-skilled  adults,  the  importance  of  arrangements  for  the 
validation of skills acquired through informal and non-formal learning and the importance of 
strong  guidance  services.  It  was  also  frequently  stressed  that  Public  Employment  Services 
could play a key role. 

Consultations on the Skills Agenda initiative have also taken place in the tripartite Advisory 
Committee on Vocational Training. More specifically on the issue of low skilled people, there 
was general agreement that the acquisition of solid basic skills is an essential foundation for 
further  learning,  for  access  to  work  and  for  playing  a  full  role  in  the  society,  and  Member 
States should ensure that all adults attain minimum requirements. A minimum understanding 
of digital skills should now be included alongside literacy and numeracy as basic skills. For 
adults  that  lack  these  skills,  targeted  programmes  of  teaching  should  be  available. 
Programmes  should  be  tailored  to  the  needs  of  adult  workers  and  help  them  overcome  any 
lack of motivation. From the employers' side it was highlighted that basic skills provision is a 
state  responsibility  and  that  employers  should  not  bear  the  entire  burden  to  address 
inefficiencies of initial education and training systems. Trade unions underlined that they can 
play  a  key  role  in  raising  awareness  of  benefits  of  upskilling  and  available  opportunities  as 
well as concluding agreements with employers to allow better access to employed people to 
such upskilling opportunities. Some successful examples of social partners' agreements have 
been  highlighted,  such  as  the  recent  French  experience  with  the  development  of  an 
Interdisciplinary  Certificate  for  Basic  skills  and  professional  competences  agreed  upon  by 
social partners and available to low qualified employees or unemployed.  

Overall,  the  responses  emphasised  the  need  for  adequate  guidance  and  support  services  for 
adult  learners,  for  flexibility  of  provision  to  meet  the  different  circumstances  of  different 
groups  of  adult  learners,  and  the  need  to  build  upon  the  skills  that  each  individual  already 
possesses. 

Discussions  with  national  authorities,  social  partners,  representatives  of  regional  and  local 
authorities and other stakeholders have also taken place in meetings of relevant committees, 
advisory and working groups and various settings. 

• 

Collection and use of expertise 

The PIAAC survey provides extensive data on the skills levels of adults in 17 Member States 
and  the  impact  of  skills  on  individual's  life  chances  and  on  countries’  competitiveness  and 
growth. It also highlights the significant proportion of adults in EU who struggle with reading, 
writing,  arithmetic  and  using  new  technologies.  Evidence  on  the  relationship  between  skills 

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levels,  qualifications  and  employability  is  provided  by  PIAAC,  PISA  and  the  Labour  Force 
Survey. 

A 2015 study by the European Employment Policy Observatory made an in-depth analysis of 
funded training provision in all Member States aimed at raising the skills of adult unemployed 
people (aged 25-64) with low levels of qualification or inadequate basic skills. It found that 
training  measures  with  more  positive  evaluation  results  tend  to  be  well  tailored  to  the 
jobseeker’s  potential;  meet  (local)  employers’  skills  need;  lead  to  formal  vocational 
qualifications;  be  smaller  in  scale;  and  target  specific  disadvantaged  groups  and  particular 
occupations. It also found that individualised approaches are key to effective training and that 
guidance  and  follow-up  for  leavers  from  training  is  needed,  especially  for  those  considered 
distant  from  the  labour  market  and  facing  multiple  employment  barriers,  is  needed,  with  a 
view to keeping them on a lifelong learning pathway. 

The European inventory on validation carried out by Cedefop every two years, together with 
Cedefop’s  EQF  monitoring,  provide  an  overview  of  Member  States’  progress 
in 
implementing  the  2012  Council  Recommendation  on  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal 
learning.  

The  2015  Eurydice  study  ‘Adult  Education  and  Training  in  Europe:  Widening  Access  to 
Learning  Opportunities’  maps  the  availability  of  dedicated  basic  skills  provision  and 
programmes for lower and upper secondary qualification for adults in Member States. Further 
adult  learning  studies  focusing  on  quality  and  financing  and  the  efficiency  of  policy 
interventions, together with the results of working groups in this policy area provide a wealth 
of information across Member States and highlight good practices. 

A  forthcoming  study  by  Cedefop11  provides  an  analysis  of  the  social  and  other  costs  and 
consequences of low skills.  

• 

Impact assessment 

The instrument proposed – a Council Recommendation – has the effect of offering guidance 
on the way forward in organising provision for upskilling adults, but it leaves Member States 
a great deal of flexibility in designing and implementing measures. This limits the extent to 
which impacts can be clearly identified ex ante. No impact assessment was therefore carried 
out.  Nevertheless,  an  analytical  report  was  prepared, including  a  section  looking  at  possible 
impacts and  costs;  this is annexed to the Staff Working Document accompanying the Skills 
Agenda Communication. 

The  proposals  outlined  in  the  recommendation  are  based  upon  an  extensive  review  of  the 
statistical data as well as the available evidence from existing policy and provision in Member 
States.  Instead  of  a  fully-fledged  impact  assessment,  a  more  proportionate  approach  was 
adopted,  following  which  an  analytical  report  was  prepared;  this  is  annexed  to  the  Staff 
Working Document accompanying the Skills Agenda Communication. 

This  analysis  revealed  that  if  no  action  is  taken,  employment  opportunities  for  low-skilled 
people  can  be  expected  to  worsen;  the  long-standing  trend  towards  ever  higher  skills 
expectations  can  be  expected  to  persist,  increasing  the  risk  of  low-skilled  people  becoming 
unemployable.  Continued  investment  in  current  upskilling  programmes,  which  are  not 

11 

Cedefop  (2016,  forthcoming).  Economic  and  social  consequences  of  low  skilled  adults  in  the  EU, 
Cedefop research paper. 

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necessarily delivering the required quality and impact and are not necessarily well adapted to 
the needs of the diverse target group, is unlikely to change the situation. Therefore the need 
for action is evident. As regards the scope of the action, the analysis identified the option of a 
Council Recommendation on establishing a Skills Guarantee for low qualified adults as most 
consistent  with  EU  policy  objectives.  It  has  the  advantage  of  combining  a  European 
commitment with action at national level based on a strong political commitment to address 
the  low  skills  challenge  for  working  age  population,  setting  out  a  comprehensive  and 
systematic  framework  for  upskilling  pathways,  while  at  the  same  time  giving  the  Member 
States flexibility in defining the arrangements for implementation.  

Based  on  macroeconomic  growth  models,  Cedefop  has  estimated  the  potential  impact  of 
higher level of skills on GDP growth per capita, using observed market data (GDP/GDP per 
capita)  and  other  relevant  macroeconomic  variables  from  the  European  Commission’s 
AMECO  database  and  the  Total  Economy  database  of  the  Conference  Board.  The  estimate 
shows that a one percentage point increase in the intermediate skills of the adult population 
(ISCED  levels  3-4),  could  boost  the  GDP  per capita  growth  rate  by  0.99  percentage  points. 
Using this empirical evidence, Cedefop has simulated the long-term output growth based on 
higher  level  skills.  This  simulation  shows  that  compared  to  Cedefop’s  baseline  scenario  of 
decreasing  shares  of  low-skilled  adults,  a  further  reduction  (of  4  percentage  points)  in  the 
share of low-qualified people in the adult population would result in an increase in EU annual 
GDP of around € 350 billion.  

• 

Fundamental rights 

One  of  the  2015  United  Nations  Sustainable  Development  goals  is  ensuring  that  all  young 
people  and  a  substantial  proportion  of  adults,  both  men  and  women,  achieve  literacy  and 
numeracy by 2030. 

Article  14  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European  Union  provides  that 
everyone has the right to education and to have access to vocational and continuing training. 
Despite  this  universal  right,  a  significant  share  of  the  EU  population  does  not  stay  in  the 
formal education and training system long enough to acquire a minimum level of skills and 
access to learning opportunities after school is not  equitably distributed among EU citizens. 
This proposal aims to promote greater equity by giving low qualified adults the opportunity to 
acquire a minimum level of basic skills and to progress to a formal qualification. 

In the European Union the right to the protection of personal data is guaranteed under Article 
8  of  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European  Union.  Whenever  the  measures 
provided  for  in  this  Recommendation  entail  the  processing  of  persona  data,  they  shall  be 
carried out in accordance with EU law on protection of personal data, in particular Directive 
95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and 
on the free movement of such data12 and the national implementing measures thereto, as well 
as Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing 
of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such 
data13.  

Directive  95/46/EC  will  be  replaced  by  Regulation  (EU)  2016/679  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  27  April  2016  on  the  protection  of  natural  persons  with 

12 
13 

OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31 
OJ L 8, 12.01.2001, p. 1 

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regard  to  the  processing  of  personal  data  and  on  the  free  movement  of  such  data  (General 
Data Protection Regulation)14 which is applicable as of 25 May 2018. 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The successful implementation of the proposed recommendation will require appropriate and 
adequate funding. Whilst remaining consistent with Member States’ commitments under the 
Stability and Growth Pact, it will have resource implications at national level. The use of EU 
financial  support,  including  through  the  potential  reallocation  of  ESF  programmes  is 
encouraged.  

The  Recommendation  gives  Member  States  a  great  deal  of  flexibility  as  to  implementation 
arrangements  and  priority  target  groups,  meaning  that  an  EU-wide  estimate  of  the  costs  of 
implementing  the  Guarantee  cannot  be  made.  However,  a  number  of  scenarios  has  been 
developed using key variables (the number of people taking up the Skills Guarantee and the 
cost per individual of the intervention). These give an indication of the broad range of costs 
that can be expected. More information is presented in section 3.4 of Technical Annex 1 to 
the Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication on a New Skills Agenda for 
Europe. 

Investing  in  education,  training  and  lifelong  learning  is  one  of  11  objectives  of  European 
cohesion policy and the current European Social Fund (ESF) regulations refer specifically to 
enhancing  access  to  lifelong  learning  and  upgrading  the  skills  and  competences  of  the 
workforce.  Existing  resources  of  funds  promoting  social  inclusion  (e.g.)  ESF,  EaSi,  FEAD, 
EGF  or  sector  skills  development  (e.g.  EAFRD)  may  also  be  used,  especially  to  support 
disadvantaged  groups  such  as  low-skilled  unemployed  adults,  economically  inactive  people 
and  migrants.  During  the  current  programming  period  (2014-2020)  it  is  estimated  that  ESF 
programmes will enable almost 3 million people to gain a qualification. Over EUR 27 billion 
will be invested in education, training, skills and life-long learning through the ESF and over 
EUR 6 billion by the European Regional Development Fund.  

The Recommendation provides a flexible framework of intervention, in which Member States 
can  adapt  existing  resource  allocations  for  support  to  low-skilled  people  in  line  with  their 
budgetary  situation.  Furthermore,  the  implementation  will  build  essentially  on  already 
existing policy and provision, as Member States will already have in place systems or parts of 
systems  for  reaching  out  to,  and  upskilling,  low  qualified  people.  Member  States  have 
committed  to  put  in  place  validation  arrangements,  including  skills  audits  for  vulnerable 
groups,  under  the  Recommendation  on  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning. 
Member  States  have  confirmed  their  political  commitment  to  reducing  the  number  of  low 
qualified and low skilled people most recently in the ET 2020 Joint Report. Programmes for 
basic  skills  and  digital  training  as  well  as  opportunities  for  gaining  upper  secondary 
qualifications later in life are in place across the EU. 

Implementation  at  national  level  will  entail  an  administrative  cost  to  set  up  coherent 
upskilling  pathways,  adjusting  administrative  capacities  and  training  staff,  coordinated 
delivery,  skills  audits,  and  delivery  of  tailored  education  or  training  offers.  The  overall 
budgetary impact, however, may be limited in the medium term when this investment would 
translate  into  more  transitions  to  employment,  higher  wages,  a  more  productive  workforce 

14 

OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88 

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and better skills forecasts for future generations, (especially if accompanied by other relevant 
skills reforms), and a more equitable and integrated society. 

A forthcoming CEDEFOP study lists the following benefits of higher levels of skills: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

(d) 

(e) 

increased labour taxes; 

higher indirect taxes from the higher disposable income of better skilled people; 

lower out-of-work benefits (because of improved employment resulting from higher 
level skills) benefitting public budgets in the longer term; 

reduced healthcare spending; 

lower spending due to reduced criminal activity. 

The  proposed  Council  recommendation  does  not  require  additional  EU  budget  and  staff 
resources for the Commission. 

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

The Recommendation calls on Member States to draw up within one year from its adoption, 
an  action  plan  for  implementation.  This  should  include  coordination  arrangements,  priority 
target groups identified at national level, and the financial resources made available.  

In  order  to  ensure  efficiency,  the  recommendation  also  proposes  that  adequate  measures  be 
put  in  place  at  national  level  to  monitor  and  evaluate  measures  taken  and  their  impact  on 
progress in improving basic and digital skills levels and reducing the number of low qualified 
people.  These  results  should  be  reviewed  and  form  the  basis  for  adapting  the  measures  for 
implementation as appropriate. 

Progress  towards  reaching  the  objectives  of  the  initiative  would  be  measured  at  EU  level 
through existing reporting mechanisms, in the context of the European semester and the ET 
2020 process, notwithstanding arrangements that will be in place beyond 2020 

• 

Detailed explanation of specific provisions 

Paragraphs 1 and 2 

This proposal recommends that Member States set up a Skills Guarantee allowing those who 
have  left  initial  education  or  training  without  completing  upper  secondary  education  or 
equivalent (EQF 4), and who are not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee, to access 
to upskilling pathways which enable them to: 

 

 

acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital skills and/or  

progress towards a qualification at EQF level 4 or equivalent, acquiring a wider set 
of  skills,  building  upon  the  Recommendation  on  key  competences  for  lifelong 
learning.  

EQF  level  4  is  the  level  at  which  most  countries  place  their  upper  secondary  school  level 
qualifications  and  equivalents  and  is  increasingly  becoming  the  minimum  educational 
attainment  level  for  access  to  skilled  work  on  the  labour  market  and  progression  to  further 
education and training (see section on "new challenges").  

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EQF level 4 is the level of education attained at the end of upper secondary education, in most 
Member  States  that  have  linked  their  educational  qualification  to  the  EQF  and  gives  the 
learner  access  to  further  education  at  tertiary  level.  The  EQF  allows  the  referencing  of 
qualifications  obtained  through  both  formal  and  non-formal  or  informal  learning,  and  since 
adults are more likely to engage in non-formal rather than in formal learning, it is proposed to 
use EQF reference levels in the text of the recommendation. 

The  term  low  qualified  adult  is  defined  in  the  recitals  as  individual  having  left  the  initial 
education and training system without having completed the upper secondary education and 
who is not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee.  

The proposed Skills Guarantee comprises three steps and its delivery should be underpinned 
by a set of key principles, based on best practice. The three steps are: 

 

 

 

skills assessments to identify existing skills and upskilling needs; 

a tailored education and training offer; and  

validation  and  recognition  of  skills  acquired  through  the  Skills  Guarantee  in 
accordance with national qualifications framework and systems.  

Paragraphs 3-4 - Skills assessment  

People  with  low  levels  of  literacy,  numeracy  or  digital  skills  often  already  possess  skills, 
including professional skills, but may have specific gaps in relation to basic skills or wider set 
of skills; providing everyone with a standard education or training course that does not take 
into account their existing skills would be inefficient and counter-productive. So a key feature 
of  effective  provision  is  to  tailor  the  training  to  individual  needs.  The  purpose  of  a  skills 
assessment is to identify the skills that a person has already acquired, and any gaps that need 
to be filled in order to bring them up to a required level.  

This may take the form of a ‘skills audit’, as proposed in the 2012 Council recommendation 
on validation of non-formal and informal learning; this usually results in a statement of skills 
of  the  individual  which  can  be  the  basis  for  a  plan  for  the  next  steps  in  training  and  the 
support offered. Skills audits of this kind are already available in different European countries 
and can be sources of inspiration for countries wishing to develop them. An assessment tool 
developed by the OECD with the support of the Commission, ‘Education and Skills Online’, 
provides  individual-level  results  linked  to  the  PIAAC  measures  of  literacy,  numeracy  and 
problem-solving in technology-rich environments and already a few European countries have 
developed a national language version.  

The proposal is that Member States give low qualified adults the opportunity to undergo an 
assessment, e.g. a skills audit, to identify existing skills and upskilling needs.  

Paragraphs 5-8 - A tailored and flexible learning offer  

The  results  of  the  skills  assessment  would  form  the  basis  for  making  a  tailored  offer  of 
education and training to the individual concerned. The key characteristic of the learning offer 
that would be made to each beneficiary is that it would be designed to fill the specific skills 
gaps  identified  through  the  skills  assessment.  The  offer  could  therefore  relate  to  training  in 
literacy, numeracy or digital skills, a combination of these or to training that would lead to a 
qualification. 

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The offer may be in two stages but should from the outset be open to progression to an EQF 
level  4  qualification.  Taking  into  account  the  upskilling  needs  identified,  the  programmes 
should  concentrate  first  on  building  up  learners’  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital  skills, 
providing them with a solid foundation for progression to further learning and, ultimately, a 
qualification.  Programmes  could  also  concentrate  immediately  on  progression  to  a 
qualification  at  EQF  level  4  or  equivalent,  if  the  skills  assessment  results  show  that  this  is 
possible for the individual concerned.  

To overcome barriers to participation in upskilling, the education and training offer should be 
flexible and adapted to the learning habits of adults. The recommendation therefore stresses 
the need for appropriate learning settings, appropriately qualified teachers and trainers, age-
appropriate teaching methods and use of digital learning. Adults whose experience in the past 
has been poor are motivated by seeing that they are making progress; this can be achieved by 
structuring the education and training provision into manageable units of learning outcomes 
which can be documented, assessed and validated individually.  

If  training  for  a  qualification  is  offered,  it  is  important  that  this  is  relevant  to  local  labour 
market needs so that the upskilling offer matches the skills gaps at local and regional level. 

Paragraph 9 Validation and recognition 

The Recommendation proposes that Member States build on existing validation arrangements 
to assess and certify skills acquired through the Skills Guarantee and ensure their recognition 
with  a  view  to  a  qualification,  in  accordance  with  national  qualifications  framework  and 
systems. 

Validation will allow learners’ progress to be recorded at different stages on the pathway so 
that  they  can  collect  credits  towards  a  qualification  or  part  qualification  in  the  national 
qualifications  framework,  at  a  level  equivalent  to  EQF  4.  This  is  easier  if  national 
qualifications frameworks accommodate small, transparent steps toward full awards for low-
qualified adults and allow learning outcomes to be achieved in different ways. 

The  delivery  of  the  Skills  Guarantee  should  be  underpinned  by  a  set  of  key  principles,  as 
outlined further below. 

Paragraph 11 Coordination and partnership 

Provision for adult learning is often fragmented; policy may be made by different government 
bodies  with  responsibility  for  different  sub-groups;  education  and  training  for  adults  is 
delivered by a multiplicity of providers; the range of provision may differ from one locality to 
another. The support available through active labour market policies for low qualified adults 
does  not  always  focus  on  longer-term  upskilling  needs  and  in  most  cases  targets  only 
unemployed people.  

Effective coordination of policy and provision is one of the key factors proven to help ensure 
that  public  policy  interventions  in  adult  learning  achieve  their  goals15.  While  policy 
coordination  is  essential,  implementation  can  only  be  successful  through  the  active 
involvement of a wide range of stakeholders and partnerships are essential to make it work. 

15 

An  in-depth  analysis  of  adult  learning  policies  and  their  effectiveness  in  Europe;  European 
Commission, Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, 2015 

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This  proposal  therefore  recommends  that  Member  States  designate  one  body,  or  a  small 
number of bodies, to be responsible for implementing the Skills Guarantee, by coordinating 
work of relevant public bodies and supporting partnerships with a wide variety of actors. This 
requires  greater  attention  to  effective  coordination  of  the  numerous  public  authorities, 
including  the  public  employment  services,  providers  and  career  guidance  and  validation 
bodies.  

Partnerships  should  be  encouraged  to  involve  a  broad  range  of  actors,  social  partners, 
education  and  training  providers,  employers,  intermediary  and  sectorial  organisations,  local 
and  regional  economic  actors,  employment,  social  and  community  services,  libraries,  civil 
society  organisations  etc.  Local  authorities  can  also  play  an  important  role  in  identifying 
needs at the local level and facilitating outreach to the target group. These can all play a key 
role  in  the  delivery  of  the  different  steps  of  the  Guarantee,  and  in  ensuring  outreach  and 
guidance throughout the whole process. 

Paragraphs 12-16 Outreach, guidance and support measures 

Research shows that many adults are not aware of the benefits of raising their skills levels or 
of  opportunities  for  upskilling  that  do  not  require  going  back  to  a  formal  school  setting. 
Carefully  targeted  outreach  strategies  are  needed  to  encourage  people  to  make  contact  with 
the  relevant  services.  The  design  of  such  outreach  measures  needs  to  be  based  upon  an 
adequate  overview  of  the  many  different  sub-groups  that  are  included  in  the  low  skilled 
population,  each  of  which  may  need  a  slightly  different  approach.  Registered  unemployed 
people, for example, may be more easily reached through bodies helping them to return to the 
labour  market.  On  the  other  hand,  people  in  employment  can  be  reached  with  the  active 
involvement  of  the  employer  or  trade  unions.  Specific  measures  may  be  needed  to  reach 
migrants if they are not familiar with the language of the host country etc. Outreach should 
raise adults’ awareness of the benefits of upskilling,  inform them of available guidance and 
support measures and learning opportunities, and provide incentives to motivate them to take 
advantage of these.  

Outreach  is  only  one  step  in  bringing  the  low-skilled  closer  to  the  upskilling  opportunities. 
Guidance  is  another  pre-requisite  in  providing  advice  and  information  as  to  what  a  Skills 
Guarantee  entails,  whom  to  refer  to  get  started  and  how  to  stay  on  course  throughout  the 
process.  Such  guidance  and  support  should  be  available  to  learners  throughout  all  stages  of 
the upskilling pathway. 

The Recommendation calls for supporting the initial and continuing professional development 
of staff in the adult learning field, recognising their key role in the delivery of education and 
training to low-skilled adults and in guidance and support. 

In  addition  to  outreach  and  guidance,  Member  States  may  also  consider  providing  specific 
support to address barriers to participation. The recommendation provides examples of such 
direct  or  indirect  support  measures, including  rights  to  training  leave  or  financial  incentives 
for  learners  or  support  to  employers  for  encouraging  them  to  support  their  employees' 
upskilling. Financial incentives and disincentives also play a role in the decision to invest in 
skills, for the learner and for the employer, and may need to be reviewed. 

Paragraphs 17-26  

The success of the recommendation will also depend on the rigour with which the steps taken 
in  its  design  and  implementation  are  monitored  and  regularly  evaluated  in  order  to  create  a 

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virtuous  circle  of  policy  checks  and  improvements  which  are  automatically  reflected  in 
delivery. An evidence base of what works, which can be shared by all Member States and the 
Commission  to  constantly  inform  and  improve  practice,  will  be  a  lasting  output  of  this 
initiative.  The  existing  Electronic  Platform  for  Adult  Learning  in  Europe  (EPALE)  is 
available  to  make  the  information  harvested  readily  available  to  all  those  involved  in 
upskilling  low-skilled  people  in  line  with  this  Recommendation.  Created  to  facilitate  the 
exchange  of  best  practice  and  collaboration  among  professionals  responsible  for  adult 
learning,  it  will  serve  as  a  repository  for  teaching  materials,  assessment  tools  and  other 
materials for those implementing this recommendation. 

Countries are invited to draw up, within one year from the adoption of the recommendation, 
an action plan for its implementation. The plan should identify priority target groups defined 
at national level based on results of the identification of low-skilled adults and in accordance 
with  national  circumstances  and  resources  available,  taking  the  results  of  the  first  PIAAC 
survey as a starting point where appropriate.  

Building  on  the  results  of  monitoring  and  evaluation  at  national  level  (to  be  shared  in  the 
context of the European Semester and ET 2020 processes) and on the national action plans, 
the  Commission  will  take  stock  of  the  implementation  measures  put  in  place  by  the  end  of 
2018. The Commission will present a comprehensive report evaluating the impact and results 
of the Skills Guarantee across the EU to the Council within five years of the adoption of the 
recommendation. 

Data  collected  by  Eurostat  through  the  annual  Labour  Force  Survey,  the  Adult  Education 
Survey and the Continuing Vocational Training Survey will support this process, as will the 
OECD’s  continuing  work  on  the  PIAAC  survey.  The  Commission  will  work  together  with 
Member States to support targeting of EU financial resources for participation in PIAAC and 
subsidiary analysis of PIAAC data.  

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2016/0179 (NLE) 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 

on establishing a Skills Guarantee 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Articles 165 and 166 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(5) 

In today's society everyone needs to have a sufficient level of literacy, numeracy and 
digital skills in order to achieve his or her full potential, play an active part in society 
and undertake his or her social and civic responsibilities. These skills are also crucial 
for accessing and progressing in the labour market and engaging in further education 
and  training.  General  or  vocational  upper  secondary  education  and  training 
qualifications  at  level  4  of  the  European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF  4)  are 
increasingly seen as the qualification level providing access to the labour market and 
to further education and training opportunities. 

Increasingly, job  openings (including both  new and replacement jobs) require higher 
levels  and  a  broader  range  of  skills.  In  the  future  there  will  be  fewer  jobs  of  an 
elementary  nature.  Even  ‘elementary’  jobs  traditionally  requiring  no  or  low-level 
qualifications  are  becoming  more  demanding.  In  particular,  a  large  majority  of  jobs 
will require some level of digital skills, and an increasing number of elementary jobs 
require  some  core  or  generic  skills  (communication,  problem-solving,  team  work, 
emotional skills). 

In 2015, there were 64 million people, or more than a quarter of the European Union 
aged 25-64 who had left initial education and training with at most a lower secondary 
education qualification16. While no measure of the basic skills levels of these people 
exists, the OECD Survey of Adult Skills, which tested levels of literacy and numeracy 
and  use  of  ICT  in  technology  rich  environments,  shows  that  similar  shares  of  adults 
aged 16-65 performed at the lowest level of proficiency in 17 Member States.  

Furthermore,  PISA  data  highlight  the  significant  share  of  15  year-olds  who 
underachieve  in  reading  (17.8%),  maths  (22.1%)  and  science  (16.6%),  results  which 
remain above the ET 2020 benchmark of 15%.  

This broad empirical evidence would indicate that between 20 and 25% of Europeans 
adults lack the prerequisite skills for further learning and are less likely to take part in 
learning  or  to  participate  fully  in  the  digitally-driven  economy  and  society.  These 
people face a higher risk of unemployment, a higher incidence of poverty and social 

16 

Eurostat, Labour Force Survey, 2015 

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exclusion,  higher  health  risks,  lower  life  expectancy  and  higher  risks  of  educational 
under-achievement for their children.  

(6) 

Low-qualified people with fundamental weaknesses in basic skills account for a very 
high  proportion  of  unemployed,  in  particular  long  term  unemployed,  people.  These 
weaknesses make it more difficult for them to return to the labour market. The same 
holds  true  for  other  vulnerable  groups,  for  instance  older  workers,  economically 
inactive people and third-country nationals. 

(7)  Member State policies to reduce early leaving from education and training, based on 
prevention,  intervention  and  compensation  measures  are  having  a  positive  effect;  in 
2015  the  EU  average  rate  of  early  school  leaving  (among  the  18-24  age  group)  was 
around one percentage point away from the Europe 2020 headline target of 10%, but 
with wide variations across Member States. Even if the headline target is achieved, the 
remaining  10%  of  people  will  enter  adulthood  facing  serious  problems  accessing 
sustainable  employment.  Moreover,  older  cohorts  (25+)  remain  affected  by  large 
numbers  of  people  who  left  school  early,  in  particular  third-country  nationals  and 
other persons with a migrant background. 

(8) 

(9) 

Participation in lifelong learning by low qualified adults remains four times lower than 
that  of  those  with  tertiary  qualifications.  Access  to  lifelong  learning  opportunities 
remains  uneven  across  socio-economic  groups  and  some  groups  of  the  working-age 
population  have  less  access,  in  particular  third-country  nationals.  Barriers  to 
participation  in  upskilling  relate  both  to  structural  and  situational  factors.  These 
include the narrow range of opportunities on offer, inadequate delivery through formal 
and lengthy programmes, lack of validation of prior learning, inadequate pedagogical 
approaches, insufficient development of workplace learning, lack of awareness on the 
benefits of upskilling and available support. 

To  promote  fairer  and  more  equitable  access  to  upskilling  opportunities,  and  to 
address these challenges bearing in mind the heterogeneity of the target group, a Skills 
Guarantee  should  give  access  to  flexible  upskilling  pathways  allowing  low  qualified 
adults to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills and to continue learning at 
their  own  pace  to  acquire  a  broader  set  of  skills  and  achieve  an  EQF  level  4 
qualification or equivalent. 

(10)  The  Skills  Guarantee  would  be  targeted  to  low-qualified  adults,  defined  as  people 
having left the initial education and training system without having completed upper 
secondary education and who are not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee17. 

(11)  Taking  into  account  national  circumstances  and  available  resources,  Member  States 
should focus the implementation of the Skills Guarantee on priority target groups (e.g. 
unemployed people, disadvantaged groups, certain age groups etc.). 

(12)  The Skills Guarantee should be delivered in line with the implementing arrangements 
put  in  place  by  the  Member  States  and  based  on  the  individual’s  commitment  and 
interest in taking part in the upskilling pathway. 

(13)  The  implementation  of  these  actions  should  take  place  in  full  compliance  with  the 

rules of the Stability and Growth Pact. 

17 

Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee (2013/C 120/01)  

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(14)  Whenever the measures provided for in this Recommendation entail the processing of 
personal data, they should be carried out in accordance with EU law on the protection 
of personal data18 as well as the national implementing measures thereto. 

(15)  The  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European  Union  recognises  the  right  to 

education and to access to vocational and continuing training for everyone.  

(16)  The  2015  United  Nations  Sustainable  Development  Goals  call  for  ensuring  that  all 
youth  and  a  substantial  proportion  of  adults,  both  men  and  women,  achieve  literacy 
and numeracy by 2030. 

(17)  Recommendation 2006/962/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 
December  2006  on  key  competences  for  lifelong  learning19  provides  a  reference 
framework  that  supports  Member  States  in  ensuring  that,  by  the  end  of  initial 
education and training, young people have developed the key competences that equip 
them for adult life and for further learning and working life; it also supports Member 
States  in  ensuring  that  adults  are  able  to  develop  and  update  their  key  competences 
throughout their lives. 

(18)  The  EU  Digital  Competence  Framework  for  citizens  provides  a  European  common 
reference  of  what  it  means  to  be  digital  savvy  in  today's  society,  and  defines 
competences and levels of competences in five key areas. It could be used as a basis to 
develop assessment tools for identifying skills gaps and designing tailored training to 
address those gaps. 

(19)  The  Recommendation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council    of  23  April 
2008  on  the  establishment  of  the  European  Qualifications  Framework  for  lifelong 
learning20 (EQF) created a common reference framework of eight levels and expressed 
in terms of learning outcomes. Each level can be achieved through various routes of 
formal, non-formal and informal learning. 

(20)  The Council Resolution on a renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning of 201121 
established  priorities  for  developing  the  adult  learning  sector.  It  prioritised  for 
immediate  attention  the  provision  of  second-chance  opportunities  and,  in  particular, 
the acquisition of basic skills such as literacy and numeracy, but also digital skills. The  
Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the strategic 
framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020)22 defines as 
priorities  for  action  increasing  the  supply  of  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital  skills 
provision  and  of  second-chance  opportunities  leading  to  a  recognised  EQF 

18 

19 
20 
21 
22 

In particular Directive 95/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 1995 on 
the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of 
such data (OJ L 281, 23.11.1995, p. 31) and Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament 
and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing 
of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (OJ L 
8, 12.01.2001, p. 1); to be replaced by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal 
data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection 
Regulation) (OJ L 119, 4.5.2016, p. 1–88) applicable as of 25 May 2018.  
OJ L 394, 30.12.2006, p. 10. 
OJ C 111, 6.5.2008, p. 1. 
OJ C 372, 20.12.2011, p. 1. 
The ET 2020 report sets out actions for European cooperation in all areas of education and training to 
2020; OJ C 417, 15.12.2015. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52015XG1215(02)&from=EN  

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qualification  for  those  without  EQF  level  4  qualifications.  The  Joint  Report  also 
includes medium term deliverables for vocational education and training (VET), one 
of  which  is  enhancing  access  to  qualifications  for  all  through  more  flexible  and 
permeable VET systems, notably by offering efficient and integrated guidance services 
and making available validation of non-formal and informal learning. 

(21)  The  Council  Recommendation  of  28  June  2011  on  policies  to  reduce  early  school-
leaving23  provides  a  framework  for  comprehensive  policies,  comprising  prevention, 
intervention  and  compensation  measures.  Compensation  measures  offer  routes  to  re-
enter  education  and  training  and  gain  qualifications  missed,  such  as  second  chance 
education or non-formal learning accompanied by validation of prior learning.  

(22)  The  Council Recommendation of 2012 on the validation of non-formal and informal 
learning24  invites  Member  States  by  2018  to  set  up  national  arrangement  for  the 
validation (identification, documentation, assessment and certification) of non-formal 
and  informal  learning.  This  includes  possibilities  for  unemployed  people  or  those  at 
risk of unemployment to undergo a ‘skills audit’ aimed at identifying their knowledge, 
skills and competences.  

(23)  The Council Recommendation of 22 April 2013 on establishing a Youth Guarantee25  
recommends  that  young  people  under  25  years  receive  a  good  quality  offer  of 
employment,  continued  education,  an  apprenticeship  or  a  traineeship  within  four 
months  of  becoming  unemployed  or  leaving  formal  education.  It  invites  Member 
States to offer early school-leavers and low-skilled young people pathways to re-enter 
education  and  training  or  of  second-chance  education  programmes  which  provide 
learning environments responding to their specific needs and enabling them to obtain 
the qualification they missed. 

(24)  The  Council  Recommendation  of  15  February  2016  on  the  Integration  of  the  Long 
Term  Unemployed  into  the  Labour  Market26  recommends  that  the  long-term 
unemployed  persons  are  offered  in  depth  individual  assessments  and  guidance  and  a 
job  integration  agreement  comprising  an  individual  offer  and  the  identification  of  a 
single point of contact at the very latest when they reach 18 months of unemployment. 

(25)  Commission Recommendation 2008/867/EC of 3 October 2008 on the active inclusion 
of  people  excluded  from  the  labour  market27  invited  Member  States  to  expand  and 
improve  investment  in  human  capital  through  inclusive  education  and  training 
policies,  including  effective  lifelong  strategies  and  to  adapt  education  and  training 
systems in response to new competence requirements, and the need for digital skills. 

(26)  The  Council  Conclusions  of  5  and  6  June  2014  on  the  integration  of  third-country 
nationals  legally  residing  in  the  Union,  reaffirmed  the  Common  Basic  Principles  for 
Immigrant Integration Policy in the EU adopted in 2004, one of which is that ‘Efforts 
in education are critical to preparing immigrants, and particularly their descendants, to 
be more successful and more active participants in society’. 

(27)  Despite  these  efforts,  low-qualified  adults’  access  and  participation  to  education  and 
training opportunities remains a challenge. Active labour market policies aim to bring 

23 
24 
25 
26 
27 

OJ C 191, 1.7.2011., p. 1. 
OJC 398, 22.12.2012, p. 1. 
OJ C 120, 26.4.2013, p. 1. 
OJ C 67, 20.2.2016, p. 1. 
OJ L 307, 18.11.2008, p. 11. 

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unemployed  people  into  a  job  as  fast  as  possible  but  do  not  always  provide  flexible 
personalised  opportunities  for  upskilling.  Few  public  policies  address  the  need  for 
upskilling  those  who  are  already  in  employment,  leaving  them  at  risk  of  skills 
obsolescence  and  job  loss,  while  people  furthest  from  the  labour  market  have  the 
greatest upskilling needs but are hardest to reach. 

(28)  The  knowledge  base  needed  by  policymakers  and  practitioners  is  growing  but 
incomplete. The expertise of Union bodies, in particular Eurostat, Education, Culture 
and  Audiovisual  Executive  Agency  (EACEA)  and  the  European  Centre  for  the 
Development  of  Vocational  Training  (Cedefop)  to  develop  relevant  research  and 
analysis is essential and should be further strengthened. 

(29)  Employer  organisations,  employers,  trade  unions,  chambers  of  industry,  trade, 
commerce and crafts, national entities involved in planning, organising or promoting 
education  and  training  and  in  migrant's  integration  policies,  employment  services, 
education  and  training  providers,  civil  society  organisations,  local  authorities  and 
community  services  are  key  stakeholders  in  the  concerted  effort  needed  to  reach, 
engage,  guide,  and  support  low-skilled  people  on  their  tailor-made  upskilling 
pathways.  

(30)  The diversity of the target group and the fragmentation and complexity of the policy 
interventions in this area often result in a lack of systematic approaches to upskilling 
the  workforce  and  a  lack  of  awareness  of  the  socio-economic  benefits  of  doing  so. 
Therefore, coherent policy intervention is needed based on effective coordination and 
partnerships across policy fields. 

RECOMMENDS THAT MEMBER STATES:  

In accordance with national circumstances and in close cooperation with social partners and 
education and training providers,  

1. 

Put in place a Skills Guarantee offering low-qualified adults, i.e. those who have left 
initial  education  or  training  without  completing  upper  secondary  education  or 
equivalent (EQF 4) and, who are not eligible for support under the Youth Guarantee, 
access  to  upskilling  pathways  which  enable  them,  according  to  their  individual 
needs, to: 

(a)  Acquire a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital skills; and/or 

(b)  Progress  towards  a  qualification  at  EQF  level  4  or  equivalent,  acquiring  a 
wider  set  of  skills,  building  on    Recommendation  2006/962/EC  on  key 
competences for lifelong learning.  

2. 

Base the design of the Skills Guarantee on three steps: skills assessment, provision of 
a tailored, flexible and quality learning offer and validation and recognition of skills 
acquired through the upskilling pathway. 

SKILLS ASSESSMENT  

3. 

4. 

Give  low  qualified  adults  the  opportunity  to  undergo  an  assessment,  e.g.  a  skills 
audit, to identify existing skills and upskilling needs. 

Apply to low qualified adults the validation arrangements set up in accordance with 
the Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning 
to identify, document, assess and certify existing skills. 

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A TAILORED AND FLEXIBLE LEARNING OFFER  

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

Provide a tailor-made offer of education and training, in accordance with paragraph 
1,  based  on  the  findings  of  the  skills  assessment  and  validation  procedures.  For 
migrants  from  third  countries,  include,  as  appropriate,  opportunities  for  language 
training and preparation for training. 

Deliver the education  and  training  offer  in  appropriate  learning  settings,  schools  or 
training  centres  or  at  work,  in  which  appropriately  qualified  teachers  and  trainers 
apply adult-specific teaching methods and exploit the potential of digital learning.  

Structure the education and training provision into units of learning outcomes which 
can  be  documented,  assessed  and  validated  individually,  in  order  to  record  the 
progress of learners at different stages. 

Adapt, as far as possible, the content of the learning offer leading to a qualification, 
in  accordance  with  point  (b)  of  paragraph  1,  to  local  and  regional  labour  market 
needs and deliver it in close cooperation with local stakeholders, in particular social 
partners and local and regional economic actors.  

VALIDATION AND RECOGNITION 

9. 

Build  on  existing  validation  arrangements  to  assess  and  certify  the  skills  acquired 
through the Skills Guarantee, including learning at work, and ensure their recognition 
towards  a  qualification,  in  accordance  with  national  qualifications  framework  and 
systems.  

10. 

In accordance with national circumstances, base the delivery of the skills guarantee 
on the principles outlined below. 

Coordination and partnership 

11. 

Designate  and  provide  with  sufficient  mandate  one  or  a  limited  number  of  bodies 
responsible for implementing this Recommendation, and in particular for:  

-  Coordinating  the  work  of  relevant  public  bodies,  including  public  employment 
services, education and training providers, career guidance and validation bodies so 
that  the  Skills  Guarantee  becomes  an  integral  part  of  active  labour  market  policy, 
early school leaving measures and the integration of third-country nationals; 

-  Supporting  the  setting  up  of  public-private  partnerships  involving,  e.g.  social 
partners,  education  and  training  providers,  employers,  intermediary  and  sectorial 
organisations, 
local  and  regional  economic  actors,  employment,  social  and 
community  services,  libraries,  civil  society  organisations  for  the  implementation  of 
the Recommendation.  

Outreach, guidance and support measures  

12. 

Taking into account national circumstances and available resources, identify priority 
target groups for the delivery of the Skills Guarantee at national level. In doing so, 
take also into account the gender, the diversity and various sub-groups in the targeted 
population. 

13. 

Implement  outreach  measures  that  include  raising  awareness  on  the  benefits  of 
upskilling,  making  available  information  on  existing  guidance,  support  measures, 

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14. 

15. 

16. 

upskilling  opportunities  and  responsible  bodies,  and  providing  incentives  to  those 
least motivated to take advantage of these.  

Provide  guidance  services  to  support  learners’  progression  through  all  steps  of  the 
upskilling process.  

Support the initial and continuing professional development of staff engaged in the 
delivery of the Skills Guarantee, in particular teaching professionals. 

Consider designing and implementing support measures that address in an equitable 
way  obstacles  to  participation  in  upskilling  pathways.  These  could  be  either  direct 
support to learners (e.g. training leave, financial incentives or tax relief) or indirect 
support to employers for upskilling their employees.  

Monitoring and evaluation  

17. 

18. 

19. 

Within one year from the adoption of this Recommendation, draw up an action plan 
for  its  implementation.  The  plan  would  include  information  on  coordination 
arrangements,  priority  target  groups,  the  financial  resources  made  available, 
including  where  appropriate  relevant  European  funding  and  the  monitoring 
arrangements.  

Monitor  and  evaluate  at  national  level  all  measures  under  the  Skills  Guarantee  and 
the  impact  on  progress  of  the  target  group  towards  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital 
skills acquisition and achievement of EQF level 4 qualifications or units thereof.  

Use  the  results  of  the monitoring  and  evaluation  to  adapt as  appropriate  the  design 
and  delivery  of  the  Skills  Guarantee  at  national  level  and  develop  further  evidence 
based-policies and reforms. 

HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION: 

20. 

21. 

22. 

23. 

24. 

25. 

With the support of the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training, follow up the 
implementation  of  this  Recommendation,  in  conjunction  with  relevant  European 
coordination  bodies  and  processes  dealing  with  employment  and  education  and 
training policies.  

Promote the use of competence frameworks for literacy, numeracy and digital skills 
and assessment tools. 

Facilitate  mutual  learning  among  Member  States  and  make  key  resources  and 
information  available  on  the  Electronic  Platform  for  Adult  Learning  in  Europe 
(EPALE). 

Support  and  carry  out  in  cooperation  with  Union  bodies  and  international 
organisations,  in  particular  with  the OECD,  relevant  research  and  analysis  on  adult 
skills and skills assessments (e.g. PIAAC). 

Without prejudice to the negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework 
and  in  line with  priorities  defined  for  the  period  2014-2020,  support  use  of  current 
and  future  European  funding  programmes  in  the  area  of  skills  development,  in 
particular  European  Structural  and 
for 
implementation of this Recommendation, in line with their legal basis. 

Investment  Funds  and  Erasmus+, 

Take  stock  of  the  implementation  measures  put  in  place  by  Member  States  by  31 
December  2018,  based  on  the  action  plans  for  implementation  in  paragraph  17 
above. 

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26. 

Assess and evaluate, in cooperation with the Member States and after consulting the 
stakeholders concerned, the actions taken in response to this Recommendation and, 
within  five  years  from  the  date  of  its  adoption,  reports  to  the  Council  on  progress 
made towards raising the levels of literacy, numeracy and digital skills amongst low-
qualified adults, and the experience gained and implications for the future. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the Council 
The President 

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