COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on progress towards the achievement of the European Education Area
Date: 2022-11-18
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, cooperation in the field of education, education, education policy, educational system, higher education, teacher, teacher training, vocational training

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 18.11.2022  COM(2022) 700 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS on progress towards the achievement of the European Education Area      {SWD(2022) 750 final} - {SWD(2022) 751 final}  
 
 
1 

Table of contents 

1.  

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 

2.  Progress so far towards the European Education Area (EEA) ................................................... 4 

2.1. 

EU initiatives shaping the EEA are on track .............................................................................. 4 

2.2. 

Stronger governance framework steering the achievement of the EEA .................................. 5 

2.3. 

Progress towards EU-level targets and the state of education in the EU ................................ 6 

3.   Building back stronger ........................................................................................................... 9 

3.1.  Mobilising the Recovery and Resilience Facility and other EU funds for national EEA actions 
and reforms driving a sustainable and inclusive recovery ....................................................... 9 

3.2.  Mobilising EEA tools and EU funds for education solidarity with Ukraine ............................. 10 

4.   Further actions required to achieve the EEA by 2025............................................................. 13 

4.1.   Six EU-level strategic EEA initiatives under preparation ........................................................ 13 

4.2.   A new equity indicator and other efforts to enrich the evidence-base ................................. 14 

4.3.   Ensuring quality of investments in education and training through a new learning lab ....... 16 

4.4.   Strengthening the governance of the EEA ............................................................................. 17 

4.5.   Strengthening the geopolitical dimension of the EEA ............................................................ 18 

5.   Conclusions and next steps .................................................................................................. 20 

5.1.   Main findings .......................................................................................................................... 20 

5.2.   Midterm review ...................................................................................................................... 20 

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1.   Introduction 

In  recent  years  at  EU-level  increasing  policy  attention  has  been  devoted  to  promoting  quality  and 
inclusiveness  in  education.  In  2017  the  Rome  Declaration  pledged  to  work  towards  a  ‘Union  where  young 
people receive the best education and training and can study and find jobs across the continent.’ The same 
year the Commission  set out  the  vision of the  European  Education  Area (EEA)1 as a genuine common 
space for quality education and lifelong learning across borders for all. The European Parliament, the Council 
and  the  Commission  solemnly  proclaimed  at  the  Gothenburg  Social  Summit  the  European  Pillar  of  Social 
Rights,  which  sets  out  as  its  first  principle  that  ‘Everyone  has  the  right  to  quality  and  inclusive  education, 
training and lifelong learning….’ In 2019, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen committed to 
making the EEA a reality by 2025: ‘We need to bring down barriers to learning and improve access to quality 
education. We need to enable learners to move more easily between education systems in different countries. 
And we need to change the culture of education towards lifelong learning that enriches us all.’2 

As  set  out  in  the  2020  Communication  on  Achieving  the  European  Education  Area  by  2025  (EEA 
Communication) and two 2021 Council Resolutions3, the overall approach to achieving the EEA is based 
on a set of: 
 
 
 
 

policy objectives for reform and European cooperation4; 
EU-level targets to measure progress5; 
EU-level actions to support Member States in implementation6; and 
a reformed governance framework for cooperation and co-creation7.  

Putting in place such an ambitious agenda requires the active involvement of Member States, EU institutions 
and stakeholders, in particular teachers, trainers, learners, and education and training institutions. 

The EEA plays a pivotal role for the EU policy agenda notably for ‘promoting our European way of life’ and 
‘an  economy  that  works  for  people’8.  It  is  among  the  drivers  of  ‘a  Europe  fit  for  the  digital  age’9  and  the 
European Green Deal. It contributes to ‘a Union of Equality’, ‘a stronger Europe in the world’, and ‘a new push 
for European democracy’.  

Unexpected  challenges,  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine,  put 
education and training systems to the test, with teachers, trainers and learners being significantly affected 
(although to varying degree) across the EU. New instruments and processes, such as NextGenerationEU and 
the Conference on the Future of Europe, have also helped advance the EEA. 

1  
2  
3  

4  
5  

6  
7  
8  

9  

The European Commission's contribution to the Leaders' meeting in Gothenburg  
Political guidelines 2019-2024 
Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education 
Area  and  beyond  (2021-2030)  (EEA  strategic  framework  Resolution),  Council  Resolution  on  the  governance  structure  of  the 
strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-
2030) (Governance Resolution). 
See SWD(2022) 750 Section I.1.1. 
By 2030, at least 96% of children between 3 years old and the starting age for mandatory primary schooling should be in early 
childhood education and care, while the proportion underperforming in reading, maths, science, or digital skills should be less than 
15%. The share of young people leaving the system with no more than a lower secondary education qualification should be below 
9%, while the share of young people with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 45%. By 2025, at least 60% of recent 
VET graduates should have been exposed to work-based learning and at least 47% of adults should have participated in learning 
over the previous 12 months. See the 2022 Education and Training Monitor accompanying this Commission Communication (SWD 
(2022) 751). 
See SWD(2022) 750 and Annex 1. 
See SWD(2022) 750 and Annex 2. 
The European Skills Agenda, the renewed VET policy and the European Care Strategy also contribute to achieving the objectives of 
EEA, in particular with regards to early childhood education and care (ECEC), lifelong and adult learning and vocational education 
and  training  (VET).  Specific  initiatives  from  these  areas  (e.g.  Council  Recommendation  on  individual  learning  accounts),  are  not 
described in this report, which focuses on the 40 actions announced in the EEA Communication. 
The digital education action plan (DEAP) was adopted together with the EEA Communication. It forms part of the EEA vision, as 
supporting the green and digital transition in education and training is one of the focus areas under the EEA. The progress report 
covers a limited number of digital actions referenced in the EEA Communication. Monitoring all actions announced under the DEAP, 
which covers a different period (2021-2027) and a higher number of digital actions, is beyond its scope. 

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EU funding supports the building of the EEA. The Erasmus+ programme, with its budget increasing two-fold 
compared to 2014-2020 (to over EUR 26 bn) and its more inclusive, digital and green approach, helps drive 
European cooperation and national reforms towards achieving the EEA.10 The Recovery and Resilience Facility 
(RRF),  the  key  instrument  of  the  NextGenerationEU  programme,  can  be  a  game  changer  in  delivering  EEA 
objectives across the board. It is complemented by cohesion policy funds. As a result, is estimated that total 
EU expenditure on education and skills between 2021 and 2027 will triple compared to the 2014-20 period. 

This Communication, supported by evidence in the accompanying staff working document (SWD(2022) 750), 
takes stock of progress towards the EEA, examining in particular key actions, governance, investment and 
mobilisation  of  EU  funds,  and  work  on  developing  EU-level  indicators.  The  Communication  also  highlights 
issues that require further attention and actions until 2025. 

The 2022 Education and Training Monitor (SWD (2022) 751) is part of the EEA progress report package11. 
The  EEA  progress  report  and  the  Monitor  complement  each  other,  with  the  report  tracking  progress  in 
implementation, and the Monitor tracking progress towards achieving the EU-level targets. The Monitor also 
illustrates key findings on the Commission’s new and complementary EU-level indicator domain on equity in 
education. 

The Commission is publishing this progress report to provide input to a midterm review reflection process 
in  2023,  including  through  an  event  with  the  European  Parliament,  to  take  stock,  discuss  and  give  fresh 
impetus  to  achieving  the  EEA,  together  with  other  EU  institutions,  Member  States,  regional  and  local 
authorities,  social  partners,  civil  society,  and  other  stakeholders.  Up  until  2025,  Member  States,  with  the 
Commission’s support, will need to focus on implementation, especially through ensuring effective use of 
EU and national resources for reform and investment,  and monitoring of progress. The Commission 
will provide a full report on the EEA in 2025. 

10  

11  

Other  relevant  programmes  and  EU  funding  instruments  that  also  fund  education  and  training  include  the  Technical  Support 
Instrument or the Digital Europe Programme. 
Volume 1 presents a cross-EU comparison of education and training systems, whereas Volume 2 consists of 27 in-depth country 
reports, covering policy reforms which reflect Member States’ efforts towards achieving EEA objectives. 

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2.  Progress so far towards the European Education Area (EEA) 

2.1.  EU initiatives shaping the EEA are on track 

The  implementation  of  EU-level  action  is  on  track.  The  EEA  has  set  out  a  total  of  40  EU-level 
actions12.  Of  these,  14  are  strategic  EEA  initiatives  to  be  decided  by  the  College  of  Commissioners,  with 
most  being  delivered  jointly  by  the  Commission  and  the  Council.  These  initiatives  provide  a  framework  for 
action and policy guidance to achieve progress in the main focus areas for reform and European cooperation. 
The  Commission  already  proposed  eight  of  these  initiatives,  and  the  Council  adopted  most  of  them.  (See 
Section 4.1 for strategic EEA initiatives that remain to be tabled).  

Strategic EEA initiatives already adopted 

Action 

Commission 
(proposal/ 
decision) 

Council 
(adoption) 

Implementation 
(at EU and 
national level) 

Framework of inclusion measures of the Erasmus+ and 
the European Solidarity Corps 2021-27: This Commission 
Implementing Decision highlights measures to promote 
inclusion, equity and diversity in both programmes. 
Blended learning approaches for high-quality and 
inclusive primary and secondary education: This Council 
Recommendation addresses blending learning environments 
and tools to build more resilient primary and secondary 
education and training systems in light of the COVID-19 
pandemic. 
Mobility of young volunteers across the EU: This Council 
Recommendation aims to enable young people to volunteer in 
other EU countries, boosting inclusiveness, quality, recognition 
and sustainability. 
European strategy for universities: This Communication 
aims to support the higher education sector in adapting to 
changing conditions and strengthen cooperation across 
borders.  
Building bridges for effective European higher education 
cooperation: This Council Recommendation aims to enable 
deeper cooperation by supporting alliances of higher education 
institutions in developing joint programmes and initiatives. 
European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong 
learning and employability: This Council Recommendation 
aims to support providers of micro-credentials, and thus 
learners, by applying an EU approach to their design and use, 
thereby stimulating inclusion and equal opportunities. 
Learning for the green transition and sustainable 
development: This Council Recommendation provides a 
roadmap for Member States on supporting learning and 
teaching for the green transition and sustainable development 
in all phases of education and training. 
Pathways to school success: This proposal for a Council 
Recommendation aims to promote better educational 
outcomes for all learners by reducing the share of low-
achievers in basic skills and of early leavers from education 
and training while promoting well-being at school. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 

 

 

Council 
conclu-
sions 

 

 

 

Focus area 

Quality, equity, 
inclusion and 
gender equality 

Digital 
transition 

Quality, equity, 
inclusion and 
gender equality 

Higher 
education 

Higher 
education 

Lifelong 
learning and 
mobility 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green transition 

Forth-
coming 

Forthcoming 

Quality, equity, 
inclusion and 
gender equality 

Alongside  these  strategic  initiatives  to  be  adopted  by  the  Commission  and  the  Council,  other  important 
actions  to  support  policy  reform  and  cooperation  between  education  and  training  institutions  have  been 
launched in 2021-2022 at the level of Commission services, often involving EU financial support.  

12    While Annex 1 of SWD (2022) 750 provides an overview of the state of play on all EU-level EEA actions, this section highlights 

priority initiatives proposed by the Commission (and adopted by the Council), and a selection of EU-funded transnational projects. 

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Action 
Jean Monnet 
actions for 
schools and 
VET 
Centres of 
vocational 
excellence 

Girls and 
women in 
STEM and ICT 

Education for 
climate 
coalition 

Erasmus+ 
teacher 
academies 

European 
Innovative 
Teaching 
Award 

European 
Universities 
initiative 

Increased 
cooperation 
with the 
Western 
Balkans 

 Selected EU funded EEA actions 

Implementation 

Annual calls from 2021 to promote active citizenship and learning about the EU in Erasmus+ 
programme countries. EUR15 m under Erasmus+ 2021-2022:  teacher training; school 
networks; learning EU for innovative ways to teach about the EU, its policies and values 

Over EUR 90 m for 25 projects under Erasmus+ for 2021 and 2022, driving reforms and 
ensuring high-quality skills and competences that lead to quality employment and career-long 
opportunities meeting the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy 
Digital and entrepreneurial skills for girls and women; Girls Go Circular by the European 
Institute of Innovation and Technology, and knowledge and innovation communities: 11 205 
students completed the programme, of which 7 682 girls in 2021, 10 000 girls in 10 countries 
to be reached by the end of 2022; Girls and women ESTEAM online communities were set 
up13, and 5 ESTEAM Fests were organised in 2022 to build entrepreneurial and STEAM (science, 
technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) competences  
Co-created bottom-up initiative to engage the education community at EU, national and local 
levels, sharing initiatives to support green skills development and changes in behaviour. 
Education for Climate platform, annual Education for Climate Day, 10 active community 
challenges, mobilising more than 4 400 registered community members 
Annual calls to support networks of teacher education providers to develop and test effective, 
innovative and transferable programmes increasing the European dimension and 
internationalisation of teacher education along EEA priorities. Academies develop and test 
innovative models of teacher mobility. 11 Teacher academies launched in 2022. EUR 37.5 m 
under Erasmus+ 2021-2022 
Annual award to showcase innovative teaching practices in line with EEA priorities (2021: 
distance and blended learning; 2022: promoting creativity and sustainability). 104 projects in 
31 Erasmus+ countries awarded in 2021; 98 projects in 29 Erasmus+ countries awarded in 
2022 
Further rollout of the European Universities initiative with support to transnational alliances of 
higher education institutions developing long-term structural, strategic and sustainable 
cooperation creating inter-university campuses. 44 European Universities. EUR 1.1 bn of 
Erasmus+ 2021-2027 funding  

Focus area 

Quality, equity, 
inclusion and 
gender equality 

Quality, equity, 
inclusion and 
gender equality 

Digital 
transition 

Green transition 

Teachers & 
trainers 

Teachers & 
trainers 

Higher 
education 

Western Balkans agenda on innovation, research, education, culture, youth and sport and 
enhanced partnership approach. North Macedonia and Serbia associated with Erasmus+, North 
Macedonia associated with the European Solidarity Corps. Implementation of the Economic and 
Investment Plan for the Western Balkans with a focus on human capital development 

Geopolitical 
dimension 

2.2.  Stronger governance framework steering the achievement of the EEA 

Progress  was  also  made  in  strengthening  the  EEA  strategic  framework  governance.  The  recent 
reforms have shown encouraging signs of more agile responsiveness in addressing shared challenges, while 
harnessing the benefits of mutual learning opportunities. The new strategic framework, set out in two 2021 
Council  Resolutions14,  laid  the  ground  for  a  stronger  governance  mechanism  relying  on  trust,  voluntary 
cooperation,  co-creation,  flexibility,  and  increased  ownership  by  Member  States15.  The  Governance 
Resolution  brought  clarity  about  and  strengthened  the  role  of  the  High  Level  Group  on  Education  and 
Training  (HLG)16.  Against  the  background  of  the  education  impact  of  war  in  Ukraine,  the  HLG  provided  a 
forum for pragmatic ad hoc cooperation. Its work benefitted from the establishment of a new body, the HLG 
Coordination Board. These improvements in the new strategic framework governance proved to be of great 
value, strengthening its responsiveness in face of unexpected challenges (see Section 3.2 below).  

13   Women ESTEAM community, Girls ESTEAM community 
14  
15  
16  

EEA strategic framework Resolution, Governance Resolution 
See SWD (2022) 750  Section II.1 and Annex 2  
The High Level Group on Education and Training links the technical level to the political level and has a central role in identifying, 
discussing and steering strategic and cross-cutting issues relevant for the European Education Area in a forward-looking manner. 
See SWD (2022) 750 section II.1.2. 

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The  2021-2025  EEA  strategic  framework  working  groups  form  the  frame  for  intensive  structured 
cooperation  and  mutual  learning  with  Member  States,  European  Economic  Area  /  European  Free  Trade 
Association and candidate countries,  stakeholders, experts and international organisations on EEA priorities. 
The new generation of working groups, set up in line with the EEA’s objectives, have been the backbone for 
exchange  and  peer  learning  on  topics  such  as  inequality  and  early  school  leaving,  education  for 
environmental  sustainability,  skills  for  the  green  transition,  enabling  factors  for  digital  education,  or 
promoting  gender equality in education.17 Working groups  are also an important channel for engaging with 
stakeholders, enabling them to contribute to achieving the EEA.  

The Commission has been engaging with the wider stakeholder community through the annual European 
education summits (launching major EEA initiatives such as the Education for climate coalition or showcasing 
the  European  innovative  teaching  award),  the  education  and  innovation  summit  and  several  targeted  and 
open public consultations.  

Various EU online tools and communities of practice enable interaction with stakeholders18. In line 
with  the  proposal  of  the  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe  calling  for  further  improved  information 
platforms to pool and exchange education-related information, the new EEA Portal helps learners as well as 
teachers, trainers and stakeholders access EU funding, upskilling programmes, quality education, training and 
lifelong  learning.  It  gives  access  to  the  outputs  of  the  working  groups  and  serves  as  the  go-to  space  for 
education  policy  developments  and  effective  and  innovative  practices.  The  European  School  Education 
Platform provides a public platform, which pools information and promotes EU-wide exchange of knowledge 
between all stakeholders in school education, including initial vocational education and training.  The EPALE 
Community  of  VET  practitioners  offers  also  opportunities  of  knowledge  sharing,  networking  and 
dissemination for VET. The new Digital Education Hub serves as a space for information sharing, exchange 
and  cooperation,  enabling  innovation  and  bringing  together  stakeholders  in  digital  education.  The  Digital 
Europe  Programme  supports  a  closer  collaboration  in  the  digital  education  sector  in  Europe  amongst 
European  education  technology  (EdTech)  start-ups/SMEs  and  other  relevant  stakeholders.  Erasmus+  Key 
Action 2 ‘Partnerships for cooperation’ offers opportunities to different stakeholders, including EdTEch to join 
forces with education and training stakeholders and develop digital transformation plans. 

Networks  supported  by  the  Commission19  and  international  organisations20  also  contribute  to  the 
development of the EEA. 

2.3.  Progress towards EU-level targets and the state of education in the EU 

Seven EU-level targets have been set in the context of the EEA. The 2022 Education and Training Monitor, 
accompanying  this  Communication,  tracks  the  latest  progress  made  toward  these  targets,  analyses  key 
challenges  and  recent  developments  in  Member  States  from  a  cross-EU  perspective  (SWD  (2022)  751  – 
Comparative  report)  and  a  country-specific  perspective  (SWD (2022)  751  –  Country  reports).  This  covers  a 
wealth  of  evidence  on  the  state  of  education  in  the  EU,  and  helps  identify  common  challenges  not  yet 
sufficiently captured by EU-level targets. 

Trends towards EU-level targets show a mixed picture. On the one hand, we see a clear and positive 
trend towards upward convergence on several longstanding indicators: Early school leaving continues 
to decline; the share of young people with tertiary level diplomas is on the rise, albeit in combination with 
an increasing gender gap; and participation in early childhood education has steadily increased in the past 

17  
18  

19 
20   

For progress and deliverables so far, see SWD (2022) 750, Section II.1.3 
The  School  Education  Gateway  (including  the  European  Toolkit  for  Schools),  and  eTwinning,  have  been  integrated  into  the  new 
European School Education Platform. EU Learning Corner; Education for Climate Coalition; Digital Education Hub 
EURYDICE, NESET, EENEE 
Such  as  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Cooperation  and  Development  (OECD)  the  Council  of  Europe,  or  different  bodies  of  the 
United Nations, see SWD (2022) 750 Annex 2.  

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decade, keeping the EU on track towards these 2030 targets.21 On the other hand, structural issues persist: 
3.1  million  young  early  school-leavers  are  disengaged  from  the  education  system  and  we  see  a  worrying 
stagnation  of  underachievement  in  basic  skills.  Furthermore,  the  positive  trends  linked  to  EU  level 
targets hide significant gaps within and among Member States; and it cannot be taken for granted that the 
positive trends are robust and will continue.22  

Addressing inequalities in education has been a key priority in Member States.23 A broad range of 
measures  has  been  implemented  across  the  EU,  such  as  additional  financial  support  to  disadvantaged 
schools,  teacher  training  programmes  or  increasing  the  availability  of  support  staff.  Prior  to  the  pandemic 
about  half  of  the  Member  States  had  measures  in  place  to  support  teachers  in  disadvantaged  schools 24. 
Several countries have launched targeted programmes to compensate for the learning loss due to pandemic, 
which affected disadvantaged children the most.  

However, socio-economic background is still the most important predictor of education outcomes. 
Essentially, children  and youth  from disadvantaged  background  lag  behind on  all  EU-level  targets.  Children 
(aged  3  years  and  above)  at  risk  of  poverty  or  social  exclusion  are  7.5  percentage  points  less  likely  to 
participate  in  formal  childcare.  Young  people  whose  parents  have  a  low  level  of  education  are  nine  times 
more  likely  to  leave  education  and  training  prematurely  and  48.6  percentage  points  less  likely  to  attain  a 
tertiary qualification when compared to young people whose parents have a high level of education. Looking 
at key competences for lifelong learning, lack of progress in basic skills may be due to the root problem of 
inequity  not  being  tackled  sufficiently.  The  impacts  of  the  pandemic  may  have  exacerbated  inequalities  in 
educational outcomes25. In this context, EU-level targets are unlikely to be reached without stepping up the 
focus on equity in education. 

Seven EU-level targets 

EU-level target 

Latest EU average 

By 2030, at least 96% of children between 3 years old 
and the starting age for compulsory primary education 
should participate in early childhood education and care 

By 2030, the share of early leavers from education and 
training should be less than 9% 

By 2025, the share of recent VET graduates who benefit 
from exposure to work-based learning during their 
vocational education and training should be at least 60%  

By 2030, the share of 25-34 year-olds with tertiary 
educational attainment should be at least 45% 

Total 

Female 

Male 

93.0% [2020] 

93.1 [2020] 

93.0 [2020] 

9.7% [2021] 

7.9% [2021] 

11.4% [2021] 

60.7% [2021] 

60.3% [2021] 

61.0% [2021] 

41.2% [2021] 

46.8% [2021] 

35.7% [2021] 

By 2025, at least 47% of adults aged 25-64 should have 
participated in learning over the previous 12 months  

[*] 

[*] 

[*] 

There is a gender gap (favouring girls over boys) when it comes to early school leaving and underachievement in reading, and  a 
significant and growing gender gap (favouring young women over young men) regarding tertiary educational attainment. (See the 
table on the seven EU-level targets as well as SWD (2022) 751 -Comparative report.) 
The 2022 Education and Training Monitor’s (SWD (2022) 751) comparative report is built around the seven EU-level targets, with 
each  chapter  showing  numerous  Member  States  lagging  behind,  as  well  as  a  substantial  disparities  between  population  sub-
groups in virtually all countries. 
See SWD (2022) 751 – Country reports. 
Approaches to remove institutional barriers to equity and inclusion remain limited, even though evidence shows that early tracking, 
grade repetition and segregation increase inequalities. 
Research  suggests  that  learning  loss  from  the  pandemic  tends  to  disproportionally  affect  children  experiencing  various 
socioeconomic disadvantages. Certain groups of children were particularly impacted, such as children living at risk of poverty or 
social exclusion, children in single-parent households, children whose parents have lower educational attainment, or children with 
migrant backgrounds. While remedial actions targeting disadvantaged students proved effective in reversing declining trends, they 
remain  underexploited.  Employment  and  Social  Developments  in  Europe,  Annual  review  2022,  Impacts  of  COVID-19  on  school 
education,  

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

21   

22   

23  
24  

25   

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EU-level target 

Latest EU average 

6. 

7. 

By 2030, the share of low-achieving 15-year-olds in 
reading, mathematics and science should be less than 
15% 
By 2030, the share of low-achieving eight-graders in 
computer and information literacy should be less than 
15%  

Total 
Reading: 22.5% [2018] 
Maths: 22.9% [2018] 
Science: 22.3% [2018] 

Female 
Reading: 17.5% [2018] 
Maths: 22.9% [2018] 
Science: 21.2% [2018] 

Male 
Reading: 27.4% [2018] 
Maths: 22.8% [2018] 
Science: 23.2% [2018] 

[**] 

[*] 

[*] 

Source: for target 1, Eurostat (UNESCO OECD Eurostat [UOE] joint data collection; for targets 2, 3, 4, 5, EU Labour Force Survey [LFS]); for 
target 6, OECD (Programme for the International Assessment of Students [PISA]); and for target 7, the International Association for the 
Evaluation of Educational Achievement [IEA] (International Computer and Information Literacy Study [ICILS]). Note: [*] The underlying LFS 
data will be available biennially as of 202326; [**] ICILS 2023 data will be available in 202427.  

Furthermore,  teacher  shortages,  largely  due  to  the  ageing  teacher  workforce28  and  the  professions’  low 
attractiveness,  are  aggravating  across  the  EU,  representing  a  serious  risk  to  the  quality  and  equity  of 
education  even  in  some  of  the  best  performing  countries.  While  comparable  data  for  Member  States  are 
lacking,  estimations  reported  by  Member  States  and  mentioned  in  the  respective  country  reports  (SWD 
(2022) 751 – Country reports) indicate the size of the problem. The challenges are generally more severe in 
subjects  such  as  STEM  (science,  technology,  engineering,  and  mathematics)  and  ICT  and  in  remote  or 
disadvantaged  areas.  To  increase  competence-based  teaching  and  learning,  comprehensive  curricular 
reforms are being rolled out in several countries, requiring well-trained and experienced teachers. To improve 
the  profession’s  attractiveness,  salaries  have  been  significantly  raised  in  recent  years  in  several  countries. 
Member States aim to attract more candidates to initial teacher education, support novice teachers, improve 
working conditions, and offer alternative pathways to the profession.  

26  

27  

28  

The 2021 Council Resolution on a new European Agenda for Adult Learning confirms a two-stage approach to the corresponding 
EU-level  target.  Adult  learning  should  increase  to  at  least  47%  by  2025  and  reach  at  least  60%  by  2030.  The  2030  target 
originates in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and the ensuing Porto Declaration. The Commission, in cooperation 
with  the  Standing  Group  on  Indicators  and  Benchmarks,  will  assess  the  new  biennial  data  when  first  available  in  2023  and 
compare  results  with  those  yielded  by  the  Adult  Education  Survey.  This  assessment  is  to  inform  possible  changes  to  the 
methodology and/or advise the Council on a re-evaluation of the target level for 2025. 
ICILS 2023 will be the first cycle with comprehensive coverage of EU Member States, more than doubling the coverage, from 9 in 
2013 and 7 in 2018, to 22 in 2023. 
At EU level, almost 40% of the teaching workforce is above 50 years. 

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3.   Building back stronger 

Both  the  COVID-19  pandemic  and  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine  have  deeply 
impacted  and  mobilised  the  EEA.  EU  funds,  in  particular  the  almost  doubled  budget  of  the  Erasmus+ 
programme,  and  increased  cooperation  under  the  EEA  strategic  framework  governance  have  supported 
national  education  systems  in  times  of  crisis  and  aimed  to  reinforce  their  capacity  to  drive  the  recovery 
through  investments  and  reforms  in  line  with  EEA  objectives.  The  lingering  impacts  of  COVID-19  and  the 
continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine can still slow down progress or divert attention from addressing long-
term structural challenges (that have been aggravated by the pandemic and the war).  

This  chapter  looks  at  how  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  (RRF)  and  other  2021-2027  EU  funds 
contribute to driving the recovery in line with EEA objectives, and how EU  funds and cooperation under the 
EEA have been mobilised to tackle the education impact of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine 
(in  line  with  EEA  objectives  on  promoting  quality, equity  and inclusion).  While  programming  of  EU  funds  to 
meet EEA objectives is a significant achievement of the  past  2 years, effective implementation  of  reforms 
and investments and their robust monitoring in the next stage will be key to ensure the achievement of the 
EEA. 

3.1.  Mobilising  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility  and  other  EU  funds  for 
national EEA actions and reforms driving a sustainable and inclusive recovery 

Education  and  training  policies  have  gained  increased  attention  following  the  outbreak  of  the 
pandemic  and  its  dramatic  impact  on  learners  and  teachers.  All  levels  of  the  strengthened  EEA 
strategic framework governance have been mobilised to step up cooperation and mutual learning and thus 
help limit the negative impact of the pandemic on learning outcomes and well-being.29 

The  EEA  connects  closely  with  the  European  Semester  and  the  programming  of  EU  funds  for 
reforms and investments in education and training. The Semester sets the broad orientations for the 
EU  and  national  level,  including  an  in-depth  analysis  of  the  role  of  education  and  training  in  the  socio-
economic  context  of  the  Member  States.  It  underpins  the  identification  of  national  policy  and  investment 
priorities,30 with the EEA offering support to addressing the identified challenges. The link between EU funding 
and reform priorities have been further strengthened under the 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework 
and the RRF. 

The  RRF  has  become  the  principal  source  of  EU  financing  for  education  and  training,  including 
digital education and skills through reforms and investments, with an allocation of  around  EUR 
71  bn,  representing  about  14%  of  the  total  RRF  budget31.  Programming  of  education  and  training 
investment under cohesion policy funds is still ongoing with  a preliminary allocation of EUR 21.13 bn from 
ESF+ and the EUR 2.3bn from the ERDF, which have been programmed to date to support education, training 

29  
30  

31  

See SWD (2022) 750, Section II.1. 
In 2022, eight Member States received a country-specific recommendation focussed on challenges related to education and skills, 
which  are  not  adequately  addressed  in  the  RRPs,  see  Country  Specific  Recommendations (CSR).  In  2019  all  Member  States,  in 
2020, 24 Member States received an education or skill-related CSR. 
The figure is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard. It corresponds to the sum of 
estimated cost of measures allocated to either “General, Vocational, And Higher Education: Accessibility, Affordability, Quality And 
Inclusiveness, Including Digitisation And Infrastructure”, “Adult Learning, Including Continuous Vocational Education And Training; 
Recognition And Validation Of Skills”, “Early Childhood Education And Care: Accessibility, Affordability, Quality And Inclusiveness, 
Including Digitisation And Infrastructure” or “Human capital in digitalisation” as primary or secondary policy area. The calculation is 
based on the 25 recovery and resilience plans endorsed by the Commission and Council by September 2022. These are estimated 
costs; actual funding will be based on the fulfilled milestones and targets. The Commission assessed the cost estimates when the 
initial plans were submitted and approved. Member States are not required to submit spending receipts and the Commission will 
not verify the actual costs of measures supported by the RRF. 

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and  skills  policies32.  Moreover,  through  the  Technical  Support  Instrument,  the  Commission  provides  further 
support  in  the  area  of  education  and  training,  upon  request  from  Member  States,  on  a  bilateral  or  multi-
country basis. 

EU  funds  have  been  mobilised  to  address  inequalities  and  to  make  education  systems  more 
resilient following the pandemic. Member States have launched a number of immediate crisis response 
measures, which are generally embedded in more long-term strategies covering the decade to 2030.33 These 
strategies are often supported by EU funds and guided by EEA objectives. In particular the RRF together with 
cohesion policy funds provide substantial financial support to compensatory learning programmes, as well as 
more  comprehensive  measures  aimed  at  promoting  access  to  quality  education  for  all,  including  curricular 
reforms, tackling  skills  mismatches  through  re-  and  upskilling.  Moreover,  EU  funds, including  the  ERDF,  are 
helping  to  modernise  infrastructure  to  strengthen  equal  access  to  quality  and  inclusive  education  services, 
provide  innovative  learning  environments  and  the  conditions  for  inclusive  digital  education  through 
equipment and platforms. 

RRF  reforms  and  investments  boost  the  digital  and  green  transformation  of  education  and 
training,  in  line  with  EEA  objectives.  Out  of  the  EUR  71  bn,  around  EUR  28  bn  contribute  to 
supporting digital education and skills across the EU34. Countries plan to improve digital infrastructure 
and connectivity, often with a focus on disadvantaged schools. They invest in measures to develop students’ 
and teachers’ digital competences, and digital resources and content, as well as adapt school curricula. RRF 
funds are also programmed to build up the digital skills of the labour force, in particular those of low-skilled 
workers,  and  adapt  vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  courses  to  digital  requirements.  The  RRF  also 
contributes  to  the  greening  of  education  and  training  in  particular  through  investing  in  energy-efficient 
education  and  training  infrastructure,  but  also  improving  education  and  training  policies  for  environmental 
sustainability.  

EU funds greatly contribute to empowering universities to become drivers of change in line with 
EEA  objectives.  The  pandemic  triggered  more  innovation,  especially  in  digital  formats.  EU  funds  are 
expected to further accelerate and consolidate digitalisation and the transformation of the higher education 
sector in line with the European strategy for universities and the new European innovation agenda, exploiting 
synergies  between  the  EEA  and  the  European  Research  Area  (ERA).  Beyond  digital  infrastructure,  Member 
States  also  plan  to  invest  in  developing  digital  content,  advanced  digital  skills,  adapting  study  courses, 
training  academic  staff,  developing  online/blended  courses,  and  digitalising  governance.  Investments  and 
reforms aim to improve the labour market relevance of higher education by modernising study programmes, 
launching new study courses, including micro-credentials, stimulating STEM/STEAM specialisation, improving 
governance  and  funding,  enhancing  access  to  higher  education  for  disadvantaged  students  and  supporting 
inclusiveness, e.g. through targeted scholarships, recognition of qualifications or access to affordable student 
accommodation. 

3.2.  Mobilising EEA tools and EU funds for education solidarity with Ukraine 

As a result of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine millions of displaced people, most of them women 
and children have arrived to the EU. The inclusion of children and youth (many traumatised by the war and 
not proficient in EU languages) in the education and training system of the Member States has been a major 
challenge amidst a high degree of uncertainty. The immediate priority is ensuring the inclusion of children in 

32  

33  
34  

By 30 September 2022, 23 Member States have already programmed European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) resources amounting to 
EUR 21.13 billion to support education and skills. The preliminary allocation from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 
to education and training infrastructure, based on adopted programmes in 7 Member States, amount to 2.3 billion.  
See SWD (2022) 750, Section I.2.2.  
The figure is based on the pillar tagging methodology for the Recovery and Resilience Scoreboard. It corresponds to the estimated 
cost of measures allocated to ‘Human capital in digitalisation’ as primary or secondary policy area. The calculation is based on the 
25 recovery and resilience plans endorsed by the Commission and Council by September 2022. These are estimated costs; actual 
funding will be based on the fulfilled milestones and targets. The Commission assessed the cost estimates when the initial plans 
were submitted and approved. Member States are not required to submit spending receipts and the Commission will not verify the 
actual costs of measures supported by the RRF. 

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quality inclusive  mainstream education for in the 2022-2023 school year,  while  maintaining their link with 
Ukraine35. 

The  response  by  the  EU  Education  Solidarity  Group  for  Ukraine36,  mobilising  all  levels  of  the  EEA 
strategic  framework,  helped  integrate  learners  and  teachers  displaced  from  Ukraine  into  EU  education 
systems.  The  High  Level  Group  has  been  instrumental  in  identifying  Member  States’  needs  in  supporting 
Ukrainian  refugee  children  and  ensuring  a  prompt,  coordinated  EU  response,  where  together  with  the  HLG 
Coordination  Board,  it  acted  as  suitable  fora  for  identifying  common  European  concerns  and  coordinating 
Member  States’  efforts.  EEA  strategic  framework  working  groups  pooled  expertise  from  across  the  EU 
through  exchanges  and  peer  learning  activities.  Member  States  benefited  from  these  exchanges  when 
implementing  the  Temporary  Protection  Directive  with  respect  to  key  issues such  as: i)  recruiting  Ukrainian 
staff, ii) outreach to refugee children not yet enrolled in the host countries’ education systems, iii) access to 
early childhood education and care, iv) recognising qualifications, v) welcoming students in higher education, 
vi) addressing disinformation in wartime,  vii) psychosocial support, and viii) the organisation of entry exams 
to Ukrainian higher education, or language learning.  

This  sharing  of  intelligence  contributed  to  updated  guidance  and  information  on  good  practice  and 
practical insights to support Member States in the inclusion of displaced children in education37. In June 2022, 
the  European  Commission  has  also  published  policy  guidance  for  Member  States  when  implementing  the 
provisions  of  the  Temporary  Protection  Directive  related  to  access  to  the  labour  market,  VET  and 
upskilling/reskilling38.  The  European  Training  Foundation  (ETF)  has  prepared  and  delivered  an  emergency 
package  to  support  continuity  in  learning  of  young  Ukrainians  via  online  courses  and  the  employability  of 
Ukrainian refugees outside their country. 

The  EEA  portal  has  played  a  key  role  in  disseminating  information  about  the  prompt,  coordinated  EU 
education  response  to  Russia’s  war  of  aggression  against  Ukraine.  The  School  Education  Gateway  has 
acted  as a  public  platform supporting  teachers  and the  wider education  community,  pooling  resources  and 
offering free online professional development courses related to refugee education39. 

The  Commission  has  mobilised  EU  funds  to  support  the  inclusion  into  education  of  people  fleeing 
Ukraine.  The  Cohesion's  Action  for  Refugees  in  Europe  (CARE)  initiative,  adopted  in  April  2022,  provides 
maximum  flexibility  to  redirect  unused  2014-2020  Structural  Funds  (approximately  EUR  7  bn).  Legislative 
amendments allow for 100% EU  co-financing and Member States may use ERDF  and ESF interchangeably. 
FAST-CARE was adopted on 29 June and introduced a new set of measures including additional flexibilities to 
the 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 Common Provisions Regulations. It extended the flexibilities provided by the 
CARE  regulation  and  introduced  additional  measures,  in  particular  to  help  Member  States  better  address 
emerging needs and the long-term consequences of the crisis. REACT-EU has provided EUR 50 bn worth of 
fresh top-up resources to ongoing cohesion policy programmes (ESF, ERDF and the Fund for European Aid to 
the Most Deprived (FEAD)) for years 2021 and 2022 to be spent by the end of 2023.  The total allocation to 
education under REACT-EU amounts to around EUR 4.9 billion40.  

35  

36  

37  

38  

39  

40  

At the start of the 2022-23 school year around 500 000 Ukrainian children were registered in the national education system of 
26  Member  States  and  Lichtenstein.  This  is  much  less  than  the  number  of  displaced  children,  which  is  in  the  millions. 
(Registrations for temporary protection are above 4 million.) 
The Commission set up an EU Education Solidarity Group for Ukraine that helps identify the needs in relation to ensuring Ukrainian 
children continue to be educated and support the countries who are hosting them by pooling the expertise available across Europe. 
This Group is rooted in the existing tools and mechanisms under the EEA strategic framework, including the working groups. 
Supporting the inclusion of displaced children from Ukraine in education: considerations, key principles and practices for the school 
year 2022-23, June 2022. See also SWD (2022) 750, Table 7.  
Guidance  for  access  to  labour  market,  vocational  education  and  training  and  adult  learning  of  people  fleeing  Russia’s  war  of 
aggression against Ukraine, June 2002.  
E.g.  e-learning  material  in  Ukrainian,  information  on  the  Ukrainian  school  system,  on  recognising  academic qualifications,  or  on 
resources and courses on psychosocial support, including through the European Toolkit for Schools. 
Some 14 Member States plan to fund education under the ESF with over EUR 3.5 bn. Under ERDF, 5 Member States have allocated 
EUR 1.4 bn. of REACT-EU resources on measures related to e-Learning & e-Education and 6 Member states have allocated close 
to EUR€ 1bn. on support for infrastructure for primary and general secondary education. 

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Under the Erasmus+ programme new opportunities are now open for incoming participants from 
Ukraine. Organisations  with ongoing Erasmus+ projects  can  host Ukrainian teachers  and students to  carry 
out teaching assignments, studies or traineeships. Staff with relevant expertise can be sent to regions where 
refugees  are  housed.  Organisations  active  in  Erasmus+  can  invite  teachers,  trainers  and  other  experts  to 
temporarily support their work in areas such as language learning or integration. Higher education institutions 
in Member States and non-EU countries associated with the programme can receive and fund students and 
staff  from  Ukrainian  higher  education  institutions  without  the  sending  institution  being  formally  involved. 
Students can take courses at the receiving institutions and benefit from additional support such as help with 
accommodation,  integration  within  the  local  academic  community  or  language  preparation.  Students  and 
recent graduates (who have graduated from a Ukrainian higher education institution within a maximum of 12 
months before fleeing Ukraine) are also eligible for traineeships. Staff are eligible for teaching mobility and 
training.  Youth  mobility  activities  are  open  to  Ukrainian  young  people  and  youth  workers.  Prospective 
applicants across the Erasmus+ programme are encouraged to include activities linked to integrating persons 
displaced  from  Ukraine  in  project  proposals  under  current  and  upcoming  calls.  These  topics  are  well 
embedded  in  the  Erasmus+  programme,  with  inclusion  and  diversity,  as  well  as  participation  and  civic 
engagement included as key cross-cutting priorities. 

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4.   Further actions required to achieve the EEA by 2025 

4.1.   Six EU-level strategic EEA initiatives under preparation 

The  Commission  is  preparing  the  six  remaining  strategic  EEA  initiatives  to  be  adopted  by  2025,  and 
supporting  Member  States  in  the  implementation  of  all  strategic  EEA  initiatives.  Both  co-creation  of  new 
strategic EEA initiatives and experience with national follow up of all EEA initiatives can be discussed  during 
the 2023 midterm review (see Section 5.2). 

Strategic EEA initiatives to be adopted by 2025 

Action 

Enabling factors for digital education: The objective will be to support Member 
States in the digital transformation of their education and training systems by outlining 
the key enabling factors for effective and inclusive digital education. 
Improving the provision of digital skills in education and training: The objective 
will be to support Member States in facing common challenges related to the level of 
digital skills of different segments of the population and step up the ability of their 
education and training systems to ensure its provision. 
European learning mobility framework: The objective will be to promote 
transnational learning mobility at all levels, identify remaining barriers and provide 
guidance on how to overcome them. 
European Quality Assurance and Recognition System: The objective will be to 
review current quality assurance and recognition arrangements and ensure that they are 
fit for purpose in the context of an evolving higher education landscape. 
Joint European degree label: The objective is to pilot the degree label, to be delivered 
on a voluntary basis, in order to attest learning outcomes achieved and skills developed 
from joint European programmes involving in-depth transnational cooperation. 
Possible legal status for alliances of higher education institutions: The objective 
is to pilot a programme involving more in-depth cooperation among higher education 
institutions through institutionalised instruments allowing human, technical, data, 
education, and research and innovation capacities to be shared, where appropriate. 

Focus area 

Digital transition 

Digital transition 

Lifelong learning and 
mobility 

Higher education 

Higher education 

Higher education 

The  adoption  by  the  Council  of  the  Council  Recommendation  on  Pathways  to  School  Success  (on  the 
Commission’s  proposal  see  Section  2.1  above)  will  be  an  important  step  towards  setting  up  a  policy 
framework  to  promote  better  educational  outcomes  for  all  young  Europeans,  irrespective  of  their 
socioeconomic background and personal characteristics. It proposes a comprehensive approach by i) focusing 
on  both  school  achievement  and  well-being  at  school,  ii)  emphasising  prevention  and  early  intervention 
besides compensation, iii) combining universal, targeted and individualised measures to effectively reach all. 
To support its implementation the Commission will launch in early 2023 an expert group on well-being and 
supportive  learning  environments  for  groups  at  risk  of  underachievement.  The  group  will  prepare  EU 
guidelines  for  promoting  well-being  in  schools  –  widely  documented  to  correlate  with  the  educational 
performance of disadvantaged learners. 

As part of the implementation of the digital education action plan, in early 2023, the Commission will present 
two flagship  proposals  based on the outcomes of the Structured  Dialogue on  digital  education and skills41. 
The forthcoming  proposal for a  Council Recommendation on  enabling factors for digital education  will 
address  formal  education  and  training  and  focus  on  investment,  capacity  building  and  successful  use  of 
digital  technologies  to  enhance  teaching  and  learning,  with  the  goal  to  improve  learning  outcomes  of  all 
learners.  The  proposal  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  improving  the  provision  of  digital  skills  in 
education and training will put forward a more strategic outlook to digital skills development and promote  a 
quality, inclusive, coherent and coordinated approach to the provision of digital skills at all levels of education 

41  

Announced in the  2021  State  of  the  Union address  and  supported by European Council  conclusions, this  dialogue  with  Member 
States and stakeholders runs until the end of 2022. 

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14 

and training.  Both proposals  will  support the learning  needs of  teachers. The Council Recommendation 
on the enabling factors for digital education will focus on teachers’ digital pedagogy and their ability to use 
digital  technologies  in  the  teaching  and  learning  process.  The  Council  Recommendation  on  improving  the 
provision of digital skills in education and training will focus on teachers’ digital competences and their ability 
to teach informatics and/or other digital subjects to develop the digital skills of learners. 

By  the  end  of  2023,  the  Commission  will  propose  a  European  learning  mobility  framework  to  make 
learning periods abroad  for  everyone a norm, rather than an exception. The new framework will encourage 
the Member States to make mobility experiences a valued part of all education and training pathways and 
embed the opportunity for mobility in education and training programmes. It will have a strengthened focus 
on inclusive mobility and will broaden the scope of the 2011 Youth on the Move Recommendation to cover all 
learners  and  staff  (including  teachers  and  youth  workers)  in  all  education  and  training  sectors,  youth  and 
sport,  whether  formal,  non-formal  or  informal.  The  framework  will  address  the  persistent  impediments  to 
mobility  such  as  administrative  burden,  language  barriers,  lack  of  financial  means,  and  lack  of  automatic 
recognition schemes. It will equally address new developments in learning patterns aiming at making learning 
mobility more environmentally friendly and linking it more to digital learning opportunities.  

In  the  field  of  higher  education,  forthcoming  strategic  EEA  initiatives  include  actions  under  the  European 
strategy for universities. Following the report to the Council on implementing automatic recognition which is 
planned  for  late  2022,  the  Commission  will  carry  out  consultations  in  2023  on  the  way  forward  for  a 
European  Quality  Assurance  and  Recognition  System.  In  2022-2023,  Erasmus+  funded  projects  will 
pilot  a  joint  European  degree  label,  based  on  European  criteria,  as  well  as  institutionalised  cooperation 
instruments  to  enable  deeper  cooperation  between  higher  education  institutions  testing  the  notion  of  a 
possible legal status for alliances of higher education institutions. Based on the outcomes of these 
pilots, the next steps will be set out together with Member States and stakeholders.  

4.2.   A new equity indicator and other efforts to enrich the evidence-base  

From the outset, equity has played a key role in EU cooperation on education and training, and this 
is reflected in the long-standing EU-level target to bring down the share of underachievement in basic skills, 
as  measured  through  the  OECD's  Programme  for  International  Student  Assessment  (PISA).  Young  people 
showing very low performance in reading, math or science run an increased risk of problems later in life with 
respect to, for instance, their labour market prospects or social inclusion.42 

To  complement  this  early-warning  indicator,  the  Commission  has  taken  the  next  step  and  presents  in  the 
2022 Education and Training Monitor, for the first time ever, an indicator that provides evidence about 
the  root  causes  of  educational  underperformance  (See  SWD  (2022)  750,  Section  II.2.2.1,  and  SWD 
(2022)  751).  The  new  indicator  looks  at  the  share  of  underachievement  in  all  three  PISA  domains  at  the 
same time43, comparing each country’s top and bottom quarters of socio-economic status. 

The data confirm that one of the key drivers behind educational underperformance is a person’s 
socio-economic  background.  At  EU  average,  the  risk  of  underperformance  for  young  people  with  a 
disadvantaged  socio-economic  background  is  almost  six  times  higher  than  it  is  for  a  person  with  an 
advantaged socioeconomic background, which points to a serious problem in terms of equity.  As mentioned 
above,  education  systems  in  most  Member  States  fail  to  decouple  educational  performance  from  socio-
economic  background.  Indeed,  the  evidence  suggests  a  perpetual  transmission  from  one  generation  to  the 
next, sowing the seeds for unemployment and exclusion in a vicious circle.  

42  
43  

See SWD (2022) 751 – Comparative report, Chapter 1. 
This combined measure of severe educational underperformance is a deviation from the approach until now, which looked at each 
PISA  domain  separately.  The  advantage  of  a  focus  on  underachievement  in  three  basic  skill  domains  simultaneously  is  that  it 
supports a broad proxy of equity in education, while putting the focus on the most at-risk youth. 

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15 

The new EU-level indicator for equity in education44 

The  new  EU-level  indicator  for  equity  in  education  is  based  on  the  OECD’s  Programme  for  International  Student 
Assessment (PISA). It depicts the share of underachievement in reading, maths and science (combined) among 15 year-
olds  in  the  lowest  quarter  of  socio-economic  status  [C].  The  two  comparators  are  [A]  the  country  average  share  of 
underachievement and [B] the share of underachievement among the highest quarter of the  index of economic, social 
and cultural status (ESCS). 

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A

A

B B B

C

C

A

B

A

B

C

A

B

Low socioeconomic status [C]

Country average [A]

High socioeconomic status [B]

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

B B

B

B B

B

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

C

A

A

B B

C

A

B

C

A

C

A

B B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

C

A

B

Source: Education and Training Monitor 2022 (European Commission calculations based on OECD’s PISA 2018 data). 

The release of new PISA data in December 2023 will enable a fresh look at the situation, and capture  first impacts of 
the pandemic. It will also help inform any target setting for 2030, should Member States wish to do so as part of the 
2026-2030 cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training. 

This new indicator brings a wealth of evidence and new insights. Firstly, while the finding for the EU 
average  is  already  alarming,  in  some  Member  States  the  situation  is  even  considerably  worse,  with  a  gap 
amounting  to  almost  40  percentage  points.  Secondly,  country  variation 
is  so  substantial  that 
underperformance  among  high  socio-economic  backgrounds  in  one  Member  State  may  be  higher  than  the 
underperformance among low socio-economic backgrounds in another Member State. Thirdly, the data also 
hold  good news: a few  countries manage to limit socio-economic  underperformance  gaps and, importantly, 
these are the same countries that show a strong performance in PISA overall. This suggests that it is possible 
to  combine  quality  education  with  equitable  education.  This  illustrates  that  education  policies  can  achieve 
quality and inclusion simultaneously, so there is no inherent trade-off between excellence and social fairness. 

These findings are highly  policy relevant.  How to  do  this best can be  discussed  during in the midterm 
reflection  process.  One  key  question  is  how  to  ensure  that  the  new  indicator  does  not  only  fill  knowledge 
gaps but is harnessed to improve policy design. One option is to develop, on the basis of the new indicator, a 
new EU-level target for the 2026-2030 cycle to help focus policy-attention and address the challenges in a 
systematic way, as a permanent feature of the work under the EEA (see Section 5.2). 

44  

All technical details of the new EU-level indicator, alongside numerous  context indicators, are elaborated on in the SWD (2022) 
750 and SWD (2022) 751.  

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Further efforts to step up the support to evidence-based policymaking 

Equity is not the only domain where improvements are being made to the evidence base available for the EEA strategic 
framework.  Two  additional  EU-level  indicator  domains  under  development  concern  the  teaching  profession 
and  education  for  environmental  sustainability  respectively.  A  third  example  worth  emphasising  is  the  European 
Higher Education Sector Observatory. 

Firstly,  in  order  to  strengthen  the  evidence  base,  improve  the  regular  EU-level  monitoring  of  specific  aspects  of  the 
teaching  profession,  enable  mutual  learning  and  gain  a  better  understanding  of  obstacles  and  policy  levers,  the 
Commission,  with  technical  support  from  the  Standing  Group  on  Indicators  and  Benchmarks  (SGIB),  is  preparing  a 
dashboard  that  will  bring  together  multiple  equivalent  indicators  across  different  sub-dimensions.  The  overarching 
focus will be on the attractiveness of the teaching profession, in response to widespread teacher shortages across the 
Member States. 

Secondly, the Commission is working on indicators to acknowledge the role of education and training for a successful 
green  transition45.  Using  the  2022  Council  Recommendation  on  learning  for  the  green  transition  and  sustainable 
development  as  guidance,  and  taking  inspiration  from  the  new  European  sustainability  competence  framework, 
available  and  forthcoming  data  sources  are  currently  being  investigated.  The  work  is  at  a  preliminary  stage  and 
proceeds with the technical support of the SGIB. 

Finally, the Commission will work towards setting up a European Higher Education Sector Observatory, including a 
scoreboard, so as to provide evidence on the progress made in implementing the European strategy for universities. It 
will combine the best of the current EU data tools and capacities to provide evidence and indicators on key priorities 
such  as  inclusion,  values,  quality  and  relevance,  mobility,  green  and  digital  skills,  employability,  transnational 
cooperation, technology transfer and knowledge valorisation. 

4.3.  Ensuring  quality  of  investments  in  education  and  training  through  a  new 

learning lab 

The  mounting  pressure  on  public  budgets  amidst  growing  need  for  reforms  and  investments  in  education 
(from  infrastructure  and  building  construction  to  the  training  of  teaching  staff,  provision  of  digital  devices 
and  funding  for  open  educational  resources)  increasingly  turns  the  spotlight  on  quality  issues  in 
investment. Member States have recognised that the performance of education systems is affected by their 
ability  to  maintain  an  appropriate  level  of  investment  and  ensure  its  effectiveness,  equity,  quality  and 
efficiency. To this end they  are prepared to  develop and share evaluation  methodologies that  help identify 
measures with high individual and social impact, specific to their own national requirements46. 

In May 2021, the European Commission launched an Expert Group on Quality Investment in Education 
and Training to identify policies with the highest potential to boost education outcomes and inclusiveness, 
while improving the efficiency of spending, as well as monitoring and evaluation47. It is in that spirit that this 
group proposed to i) run more education policy evaluations in a systemic fashion, ii) share knowledge on the 
best  evaluation  methods,  and 
iii)  organise  mutual  learning  and  capacity  building  on  evaluation 
methodologies, allowing Member States to make well-founded choices about educational investment. 

45  
46  
47  

As highlighted in the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. 
Inter-governmental declaration to build a shared vision of effective, efficient, and equitable investment in education 
See SWD (2022) 750, Section I.2.1. 

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Final report of the Expert Group on Quality Investment48 – Main policy conclusions 

The  final  report 
identifies  many  promising  education  policy  measures  that  nevertheless  deserve  further 
experimentation  at  Member  State  level.  Experimentation  and  evaluation  are  key  steps  in  the  design  and  successful 
development of policy interventions that are adapted to each specific local, regional or national context. 

From a methodological standpoint, the review revealed that a large body of robust evidence comes from the US 
and  UK,  and  much  less  so  from  EU  Member  States.  Moreover,  the  number  of evaluations  that  provide  detailed 
cost-benefit analysis is even more limited. The development of the expertise for evaluation and dissemination 
of findings at EU level is therefore needed.  

There  are  gains  to  be  expected  from  gathering  expertise  and  evidence  on  policy  evaluation  at  EU  level. 
Experts  concluded  that  the  development  of  a  culture  of  evaluation  in  the  EU  should  be  supported  by  the  following 
actions: 
  promoting the development of expertise on evaluation methods in each Member State; 
  disseminating knowledge about rigorously evaluated policies to develop and share best practice; and 
  making  available  EU  funding  for  policy  experiments  for  the  evaluation  of  the  development  of  innovative 

education policies. 

To  follow  up  the  main  conclusions  of  the  expert  group,  in  November  2022,  the  Commission  is 
launching  a  learning  lab  on  quality  investment  in  education  and  training  to  support  Member 
States in making effective, efficient and evidence-based choices on education funding. The lab will 
promote education policy evaluations tailored to specific local, regional, and national needs, and encourage 
their regular use in policymaking. It will offer Member States the knowledge, tools, methods, and resources 
for  evaluating  their  public  spending  on  education  and  training.  It  will  also  nurture  networking  and 
collaboration  among  evaluation  providers  and  expertise  centres  around  the  EU,  including  international 
organisations such as the OECD. 

4.4.   Strengthening the governance of the EEA  

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on education and training systems 
resulted in some structural issues becoming more pressing. Effectively addressing such systemic challenges 
require  long-term  efforts  that  benefit  from  close  cooperation49.  Priorities  for  such  cooperation  include 
tackling the challenges identified in this progress report (such as boosting equity in education and training, 
and tackling teacher shortages).  

The  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe  spelled  out  ideas  to  improve  the  EU,  including  proposals  for 
future  oriented  measures  that  are  fully  in  line  with  EEA  objectives  that  can  be  best  promoted  through 
closer  cooperation  (e.g.  promoting  European  citizenship  education  as  a  contribution  to  civic  identity, 
further improving information platforms to pool and exchange information related to education). 

Stakeholders’ engagement, including that of civil society, is instrumental in rolling out EEA actions. To better 
include  civil  society  in  EU-level  efforts  to  achieve  the  EEA,  as  of  2023,  the  Commission  will  explore 
possibilities within the Erasmus+ programme to increase financial support to boost civil society cooperation 
in  relation  to  education  and  youth  policies.  The  Commission  will  support  mobilising  the  EEA  strategic 
framework  governance  structures  and  consolidating  its  voluntary  approach  for  closer  cooperation  and 
coordination between Member States and other education stakeholders. 

To ensure a stronger stock-taking of progress towards the EEA – including through the High Level Group and 
its  recently  established  Coordination  Board  –  the  Commission  proposes  a  midterm  reflection  process,  as 
outlined in Section 5.2 below. This reflection can examine how reformed governance and cooperation at 
EU level can help tackle emerging and recurring challenges through systemic reform, thus helping 

48  
49  

Final report of the expert group on quality investment in education and training, October 2022  
The 2022 Strategic Foresight Report examines, among other things, education in the context of the interaction between the green 
and digital transitions against the backdrop of the current volatile geopolitical realities. 

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to  achieve  the  EEA,  and  identify  potential  areas  for  adjustments.  The  effectiveness  of  mutual  learning 
and  how  it  can  better  support  EU  Member  States  in  addressing  shared  challenges  and  developing  future 
oriented measures through improved policy design, supported by an enhanced comparative EU evidence base 
as well as better dissemination of the results at EU, national and local levels, will also be discussed.  

4.5.  Strengthening the geopolitical dimension of the EEA 

The geopolitical dimension of the EEA has been growing in importance. The EEA has proven to be a 
driver of reforms in other countries and serves as a global standard of quality with multiple EEA actions (e.g. 
the Jean Monnet actions, centres for vocational excellence, and Erasmus+ teacher academies) reaching out to 
countries  and  participants  beyond  the  EU,  promoting  attractiveness  of  European  education  and  training 
systems, motivating countries on the course towards EU  membership, and supporting them in transforming 
their  education,  research  and  innovation  systems.50  This  has  been  further  bolstered  through  the  Global 
Gateway and the EU’s global investment in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive 
and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all 51, promoting learning mobility and 
the  digital  transition  both  in  and  via  education,  as  well  as  quality,  equity,  inclusion  and  gender  equality  in 
education.  Furthermore,  it  was  strengthened  through  an  increase  of  the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and 
International  Cooperation  Instrument’s  (NDICI)  budget  to  education  from  7%  to  10%  and    a  strengthened 
international dimension of the Erasmus+ programme  (Erasmus Mundus)  which is now  fully in place, with a 
total budget of EUR 2.2 bn. 

Providing  combined  EU  and  Member  State  education  support  to  Ukraine  is  proving  that  Team 
Europe  can  be  agile  and  efficient  in  responding  to  crises,  demonstrating  the  value  added  of  such 
informal and voluntary cooperation52. Unprecedented flexibility was introduced in the Erasmus+ programme, 
which supported the integration of pupils, students and staff into the EU education systems including through 
its international dimension. The Commission will also support the Ukrainian education recovery, including the 
reconstruction of damaged Ukrainian schools53. Building on the education dimension of the Global Gateway 
initiative,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  support  a  Team  Europe  approach  in  order  to  promote  quality 
education in partner countries, and in particular, in view of the future  reconstruction of Ukraine’s education 
system after the  war.  After  Ukraine  was  granted  the  status of  EU  candidate  country  on  23 June 2022,  the 
Commission invited  relevant  education authorities to join  EEA strategic framework working groups that will 
contribute  to  improved  mutual  learning  and  continued  support  to  tackling  the  negative  impact  that  the 
invasion of Ukraine has had on education.  

The  Commission,  together  with  the  Western  Balkans,  developed  the  Western  Balkan  Agenda  on 
Innovation,  Research,  Education,  Culture,  Youth  and  Sport54.  This  agenda  focuses  on  bringing  the 
Western  Balkans  closer  to  the  EU,  including  in  the  area  of  education.  As  a  concrete  action,  a  stronger 
partnership with the Western Balkans will be promoted under Erasmus+ to give education organisations and 
institutions  the  possibility  to  take  part  in  important  strategic  actions  under  the  programme,  starting  with 
European  Universities  Alliances.  Work  will  continue  more  globally  too,  to  boost  the  key  role  that  EU 
universities  can  play  in  maximising  Europe's  global  influence,  and  promoting  democratic  values 
and cooperation for peace. The European Universities Alliances supported by Erasmus+55 are leading the way 

50  
51  
52  

53  
54  
55  

See SWD (2022) 750, Section I.1.2 and Annex 1. 
Sustainable Development Goal 4 
The European Training Foundation (ETF) has responded fast to the Russian invasion to Ukraine and, in full coordination with the 
EU, the Ukrainian government and other international organizations. The European Commission, With the ETF, Ukrainian authorities 
and  EU  Member  States,  has  compared  the  European  Qualifications  Framework  and  the  Ukrainian  national  qualifications 
framework from primary to post-doctoral. The ETF established a resource hub to help both Ukrainians seeking assistance in having 
their qualifications recognised, and others who need help in interpreting them. In the context of EU external relations policies, the 
ETF focuses on improving human capital development in countries outside the EU (partner countries). Currently the ETF is active in 
the  EU  Neighbourhood,  in  Enlargement  countries,  in  Central  Asia  and  it  cooperates  with  the  EU  on  skills  development  in  Africa. 
(See also Section 3.2 above.) 
As announced in the 2022 State of the Union address. 
EU and Western Balkans Innovation Agenda 
39 of which receive complementary support from Horizon 2020 for their research and innovation dimension 

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by  promoting  European  values  and  identity,  and  revolutionising  the  quality  and  competitiveness  of  the 
European  higher  education  sector.  The  Study  in  Europe  portal  also  serves  as  a  one-stop  shop  for 
promotion,  information  and  advice  on  studies  in  Europe.  It  drives  traffic  towards  national  sites  on  higher 
education, notably through the individual country profiles, and showcases the benefits of studying in Europe. 
It  is a  concrete  expression  of  the  Team  Europe  approach  and  the  networking  activities organised  under  its 
banner  foster  peer  learning  and  exchange  of  best  practices.  These  help  promote  Europe  as  a  study  and 
research destination in  partner countries throughout the  world. Study in Europe, in particular its networking 
aspects,  will  be  further  developed  in  the  future.  Education  also  continues  to  be  a  priority  in  the  EU 
cooperation in the European Neighbourhood and enlargement region, and benefits from bilateral and regional 
funding  under  the  Instrument  for  Pre-Accession  Assistance  and  the  Neighbourhood,  Development  and 
International Cooperation Instrument. 

In  the  medium  and  long  term,  the  Commission  will  support  reflections  with  EU  Member  States  on  further 
promoting  a  coordinated  approach  on  investments  in  education  in  partner  countries, with  a  view  to 
positioning Team Europe as a champion and an effective driving force in the education sector both at country 
and regional level and on the global stage. 

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5.   Conclusions and next steps  

5.1.   Main findings 

This stocktaking has shown that the EEA is on track: Progress has been made over the past 2 years in 
setting  out  EEA  initiatives,  stepping  up  cooperation  and  co-creation  and  mobilising  funding  for  national 
reforms  and  investments.  The  EEA  has  provided  an  agenda  for  reforms,  investment  and  cooperation  for  a 
fairer, better and future-proof education for everyone in Europe. On the one hand, it is  still too early in the 
implementation process to have measurable evidence of the impact of EEA actions, governance reforms and 
EU funding at national, regional and local levels. On the other hand, early indications show that thanks to the 
common EEA commitment and European cooperation, initiatives in Member States and at EU level have been 
mutually reinforcing.  

The stronger governance showcased the EEA at work, demonstrating joint national and EU leadership in 
stepping up cooperation on reforms and action towards reaching EU-level targets, and responsiveness to new 
challenges. The strengthened strategic framework enabled pooling of knowledge and resources, an organised 
sharing  of  good  practices  and  implementation  of  concrete  solutions.  The  common  EEA  ambition  has 
increased cooperation and ownership of shared priorities. This resulted in education and training becoming a 
common concern based on shared interests.  

While  trends  toward  several  EU-level  targets  show  a  positive  upward  convergence  (early  school 
leaving is declining, while tertiary educational attainment and participation in early childhood education and 
care are on the rise), we also see significant warning signs requiring systemic longer-term efforts to 
improve  quality  and  equity  in  education  and  training.  The  Commission  will  continue  to  improve  EU-level 
performance monitoring to support evidence-based policymaking and facilitate mutual learning on the deep 
challenges  identified  (including  promoting  equity  in  education  and  tackling  aggravating  teacher  shortages 
across the EU). 

Focusing on implementation, quality investment, absorption and robust monitoring will be key for 
the  years  ahead.  After  the  2021-2022  phase  of  policy  design  and  the  launch  of  a  set  of  EU-level  EEA 
actions,  focus  should  now  be  placed  on  ensuring  i) follow-up  of  strategic  EEA  initiatives  at  national  level, 
ii) quality  investment  through  the  effective  absorption  of  EU  and  national  resources  and  iii) a  robust 
monitoring of progress. This could help solidify systemic reforms that Member States are pursuing and bring 
about  a  positive  impact  for  learners  and  teachers.  EEA  strategic  framework  working  groups  and  other  co-
creation forums supporting work towards the EEA56 can play a key role in this, with active participation of all 
members  and  ensuring  links  with  national  decision  making  being  crucial  for  success.  The  Erasmus+ 
programme will continue to support the implementation of EEA objectives through its mobility, cooperation, 
and policy actions and priorities.  

5.2.   Midterm review  

This progress report is the Commission’s input for the 2023 midterm review aiming to take stock and keep 
momentum, commitment to, and participation by all in achieving the EEA.  

The  Commission  invites  Member  States,  other  EU  institutions  and  stakeholders,  including  social 
partners  and  civil  society,  to  take  part.  This  process  of  listening,  dialogue,  and  joint  reflection  will 
mobilise  all  EEA  strategic  framework  governance  levels,  and  include  a  midterm  review  event  with  the 
European Parliament. The 1 December 2022 Education Summit will be the first occasion to reflect jointly with 
all stakeholders. 

56  

See SWD (2022) 750 – Annex 2. 

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The findings of this progress report provide the direction for the main questions to be discussed during 
the midterm reflection process, with each actor bringing its own experiences with their respective actions 
and efforts towards the achievement of the EEA: 

  exchange on flagship actions and policy reforms towards shared EEA objectives; 

  co-create the remaining strategic EEA initiatives until 2025; 

 

 

implement the reinforced governance to support a comprehensive stock-taking of progress towards the 
EEA, including through the High Level Group and its recently established Coordination Board, and identify 
potential areas for adjustments;  

reflect  together  on  deep  challenges  and  future  oriented  measures  (emerging  from the  findings  of  this 
progress report and the Conference on the Future of Europe) such as: i) boosting equity and inclusion at 
all  levels  of  education  and  training,  ii)  improving  quality  by  tackling  teacher  shortages  and  increasing 
attractiveness of the teaching profession, or iii) enhancing European citizenship education;  

  explore the feasibility and value-added of further EU-level targets under the EEA, in particular on equity, 

the teaching profession and sustainability; 

  support  policy  reform,  ensure  quality  investment  and  foster  European  cooperation  on  improving  policy 
design  to  tackle  the  identified  deep  and  future  oriented  challenges  through  regular  education  policy 
evaluations; 

  strengthen and tailor to the needs of Member States mutual learning activities;57 

  strengthen monitoring of the follow-up given at Member State level to strategic EEA initiatives. 

While the 2023 midterm review is focused on drawing lessons from the first years and building momentum 
and commitment for the period up until 2025, in 2023, the Commission will also publish a call for evidence 
and launch a  policy evaluation of the EEA. This will  enrich the evidence  base for the  2025 full report on 
the EEA.  

As set out in the EEA strategic framework Resolution, it is ‘on the basis of this evaluation [that] the Council 
shall  review  the  strategic  framework  —  including  EU-level  targets,  governance  structure,  and  working 
methods – and make any necessary adjustments for the second [2026-2030] cycle, as appropriate, to adapt 
to the reality and needs of the European Education Area or any other major developments in the European 
Union.’  

57  

Including under the new learning lab on quality investment in education and training, the EEA strategic framework working groups 
and other demand-driven peer counselling activities. 

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