Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Union of Skills (COM(2025) 90 final) – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Action Plan on Basic Skills (COM(2025) 88 final) – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a STEM Education Strategic Plan: skills for competitiveness and innovation (COM(2025) 89 final)
Date: 2025-07-17
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: action programme, competitiveness, education, education policy, innovation, labour market, professional qualifications, promotion of the European idea, social dialogue, vocational training








C_202505159EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/5159


28.10.2025






Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Union of Skills


(COM(2025) 90 final)


Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the Action Plan on Basic Skills


(COM(2025) 88 final)


Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a STEM Education Strategic Plan: skills for competitiveness and innovation


(COM(2025) 89 final)


(C/2025/5159)


Rapporteurs: 
                  Tatjana BABRAUSKIENĖ


Mariya MINCHEVA


Justyna Kalina OCHĘDZAN







Advisors


Robert PLUMMER (for the rapporteur Group I)
Agnes ROMAN (for the rapporteur Group II)
Andrei FRANK (for the rapporteur Group III)




Referral


European Commission, 14.7.2025




Legal basis


Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union




Section responsible


Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship




Adopted in section


27.6.2025




Adopted at plenary session


17.7.2025




Plenary session No


598




Outcome of vote
(for/against/abstentions)


113/00/00




1.   Conclusions and recommendations









1.1.


The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) underscores the strategic importance of a high-quality, inclusive education and skilled workforce as a cornerstone for Europe’s competitiveness, social cohesion, and sustainable development. Addressing current challenges – such as persistent skills gaps and mismatches, labour shortages, and attracting teachers and trainers – requires bold, systemic reforms and investment in inclusive, high-quality education and training systems.












1.2.


The EESC supports the ambition behind the Union of Skills. However, it stresses that success depends on effective and cooperative governance, adequate financing, and inclusive representation of social partners, national authorities and other stakeholders, including civil society organisations, teachers and learners.












1.3.


Europe’s welfare, productivity and innovation gaps demand a higher level of ambition in developing world-class talent in STEM and AI. Fostering inclusiveness and addressing gender stereotypes in accessing professions and education and training are important. Therefore, the EESC recommends developing and implementing innovative methods to attract underrepresented groups – particularly women – including affirmative action initiatives.












1.4.


The next programming period must provide a strong and targeted budget for education, training, and skills development. The EESC calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure increased public investment and better use of EU funds to strengthen education systems at all levels.












1.5.


The Union of Skills must be aligned with the European Education Area (EEA) and grounded in the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights to ensure that everyone has the right and the access to inclusive, high-quality education and formal qualifications regardless of residence in urban or rural areas.












1.6.


Addressing persistent labour and skills shortages in digital and green transitions, especially in strategic sectors such as digital manufacturing, green hydrogen, cybersecurity and occupations linked to the green transition (insulation workers, HVAC technicians, PV installers etc.), requires industry-specific training ecosystems.












1.7.


The EESC calls for improving quality, inclusiveness, attractiveness, effectiveness and access to vocational education and training (IVET and CVET) and adult learning, improving provisions of basic skills and key competences for all, and more inclusive access to quality and effective upskilling and reskilling.












1.8.


Skills portability across Member States and permeability between education and training pathways should be enhanced, respecting the competence of ministries, social partners and relevant stakeholders in defining qualifications and recognising both regulated and non-regulated professions.












1.9.


Europe must become more attractive to global talent. This requires streamlined administrative procedures, visa facilitation, and fast-track pathways for skilled migrants in strategic sectors while ensuring their equal and fair treatment to access and work within the EU labour market.












1.10.


Tailored support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is essential. Targeted measures for women and disadvantaged individuals in education and training and in the labour market, such as increasing their basic skills and key competences, including citizenship competences and financial literacy (1), must be central to skills strategies.












1.11.


The EESC sees a need to implement innovation in education, among other things, due to ongoing digitalisation, which is significantly affecting the way we learn.












1.12.


The EESC urges the Commission to propose separate EU agendas for teachers and trainers, consulting with the relevant professional organisations representing teachers, to propose effective actions to Member States to boost the attractiveness of these professions by enhancing working conditions, including conditions for providing attractive salaries, professional development and recognition, respecting national competences, including social partners’ autonomy, as appropriate. This can be supported by a future Erasmus+, co-designed with teachers that better takes into account the need to improve access to a multilingual EU platform supporting recognised CPD for all teachers on pedagogy, leadership, and EU values, and to EU mobility as recognised CPD.












1.13.


Governance fragmentation in education and training policies must be addressed. The EESC suggests the simplification of the EEA governance by establishing a High-Level Advisory Committee for Education, replacing informal groups, focusing on transversal topics and specific education sector-related issues with all relevant education stakeholders involved, and a dedicated Advisory Group on the Teaching Profession.












1.14.


The EESC highlights the need for clearer definitions (e.g., adult learning), stronger benchmarks (e.g. participation in adult learning, basic skills acquisition – including a target on citizenship skills), and reliable, comparable, gender and age segregated data and statistics.












1.15.


Recommendations on education and skills should be fully integrated into the European Semester process, with due emphasis on effective, inclusive lifelong learning and fair labour market transitions.












1.16.


The financial support or subsidies for employers and workers should be targeted to where it is most needed and could range from tax incentives to better use of public procurement, respecting social conditionalities, in order to improve solutions such as targeted funding.












1.17.


AI literacy should be recognised as a key competence and integrated into broader lifelong learning strategies. Preventing gender bias in algorithms should be incorporated into educational policies.




2.   General comments









2.1.


The EESC welcomes the European Commission’s Union of Skills initiative. It is vital that today’s European population is equipped with a broad range of skills and competences and a clear understanding of their democratic and labour rights.












2.2.


The EESC supports the initiative’s focus on boosting competitiveness, innovation, business continuity, and creating quality employment. Training and skills development must also contribute to social progress and democratic sustainability, gender equality, and equal access to high-quality education for people living in rural areas, irrespective of age. A skilled workforce is an essential component for competitiveness. It is important that access to training be linked to the creation of secure, well-paid and sustainable jobs, career opportunities, underpinned by fair working conditions and strong social protections.




3.   Key strands of the Union of Skills


Building skills for life through a solid educational foundation









3.1.


Basic skills are essential for lifelong learning, yet underachievement in schools poses challenges for vocational education, tertiary levels, and adult learners. Furthermore, vocational training programs are often misaligned with rapidly changing skill demands. European policies must promote agility while respecting national competencies and commitments of social partners and stakeholders.












3.2.


Skilled labour shortages are affecting all sectors, both small and large enterprises, including social enterprises, and leading to constraints on economic operations, growth, and social progress. Skills, qualifications, employment, the changing nature of work, and the development of an inclusive labour market have been the subject of numerous EESC opinions (2), which are still relevant today.












3.3.


To realise its full potential, the Union of Skills must be shaped into a coherent and ambitious framework that balances the strategic needs of the economy with individuals’ evolving needs and aspirations. While strictly following national competencies, the dedicated EU funding for the Union of Skills requires coordination to meet the EU’s overarching objectives.












3.4.


The EESC stressed that special attention should be focused on the low-skilled and low-qualified, ageing people, workers and job-seekers, inclusively from rural and urban areas.












3.5.


As green and digital transitions (3) reshape society, a holistic approach to skills development should extend beyond technical know-how to include transversal skills and key competences, focusing on STEAM, essential for both formal qualifications and active civic engagement. Greater emphasis should be placed on entrepreneurship competences at all educational levels and on increasing financial literacy.












3.6.


Educational policies should also take into consideration mental health, digital hygiene and identification and elimination of algorithmic bias as required to prevent violence in the virtual world, among others, against women, LGBTQI people, migrants or other disadvantaged groups, also taking into account existing national legislation in the field.












3.7.


In order to improve STEM skills attainment in Europe, the EESC stresses the importance of encouraging more women into STEM-related studies. It is essential to address gender stereotypes and to better communicate on the career opportunities deriving from STEM studies. This could also be approached from the more holistic STEAM perspective, as argued by the Joint Research Centre (4).












3.8.


The EESC welcomes further attention to improving the quality of and access to the EU’s higher education and research sectors. It stresses the importance of equitable career development for academic staff, including early-career researchers.





Upskill and reskill to ensure future-oriented skills









3.9.


In the EU, only 39,5 % of adults engage in adult learning annually, which is below the EPSR target. Accurate statistics are crucial. Gender and age segregated data are necessary for Member States to enhance outreach and improve free, high-quality career and training guidance throughout working lives, as well as validating informal and non-formal learning to recognise diverse skill development pathways. Special attention must be given to training for young people, and intergenerational training. The EESC recommends an open discussion on the Council Resolution for lifelong guidance and a renewed commitment to validating and recognising non-formal and informal learning.












3.10.


The EESC notes unequal access to upskilling and reskilling in companies. It sees the Union of Skills as vital for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, enabling individuals, including workers and jobseekers, and employers to utilise adequate time and resources for training. A sharper focus on industry-specific training ecosystems, such as digital manufacturing, green hydrogen, cybersecurity, and roles related to the green transition, like insulation workers and HVAC technicians, is necessary. Additionally, the transition from education to the labour market is increasingly longer and uncertain, making the full implementation of the Youth Guarantee crucial.












3.11.


The EESC acknowledges the need for the Union of Skills to reflect the shared responsibility of governments, social partners, public employment services, non-profit training providers, and industries in upskilling and reskilling. Support for social partners’ training funds and employer subsidies must be targeted where needed most. This support may include tax incentives and improved public procurement, while respecting social conditions to enhance targeted funding that complements EU skills funding.












3.12.


The proposed Skills Guarantee pilot, alongside Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs), micro-credentials, and STEM upskilling via bootcamps, offers valuable opportunities. The EESC advocates for broadening access to training, especially for those in sectors at risk of restructuring or redundancies.












3.13.


The EESC highlights the role of targeted support through the mentioned initiatives for socio-economically disadvantaged groups, with subsidies dedicated to their participation in training, also for women in sectors where there are gender gaps.












3.14.


Support for SMEs is needed to facilitate the development of their human capital training and development policy. It would be important to support pooling the resources of SMEs that are facing specific challenges to cope with replacing workers during their training. It is also crucial to improve the recognition of non-formal and informal training provided on-the-job within SMEs. Social economy entities also face specific challenges and need support to better align their human capital training and development policy.





Circulating and allocating skills to unlock the full potential of the single market









3.15.


Education and training are primarily national responsibilities, with skills and qualification requirements updated through dialogue with social partners. Initiatives such as European School Alliances, VET diplomas, Centres of Vocational Excellence, and European degrees in higher education and engineering, along with the promotion of STEM skills within the ESCO framework, should aim to enhance national education systems while respecting the roles of national actors in their development.












3.16.


Qualifications are crucial for the recognition of learning and mobility. It is vital to uphold quality standards and simplify recognition for professional qualifications of regulated and non-regulated professions. Member States should avoid creating barriers hindering labour mobility, like excessive administrative requirements. The European Commission could facilitate mutual learning on recognition through peer activities.












3.17.


Regarding the Skills Portability Initiative, it is essential to respect social partners’ roles in defining qualification requirements for regulated professions and the recruitment processes and analysing non-regulated skills. The EESC identifies potential in the initiative and calls for further discussions among governments, social partners, and stakeholders to consider expanding the list of automatically recognised regulated professions and creating common training frameworks under Directive 2005/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), addressing barriers to its implementation.





Attract and retain skills from third countries to address skills shortages and develop top talent in Europe









3.18.


Attracting talent in the EU must be supported by administrative simplification, visa facilitation, and fast-track procedures for skilled migrants in strategic sectors while ensuring their equal and fair treatment to access and work within the EU labour market. This is also true for attracting researchers. In this respect, the EESC is looking forward to commenting on the forthcoming Visa Strategy. ‘Train to hire programmes’ would provide valuable support to employers in finding the skills they need. In order to avoid brain drain, circular migration can be a useful tool (6).





Investing in education and skills









3.19.


The EESC agrees that ‘education and skills are an investment, not a cost’. However, EU fiscal constraints that limit Member States’ ability to increase public spending pose a threat to adequate funding of education and training.












3.20.


The ambitious Union of Skills agenda should be supported by a robust EU budget, enhancing Erasmus+ and ESF+ in the next programming period, with an assessment of fair EU fund use and coordination with the European Semester. Additionally, the ERDF must be strengthened for strategic investments in formal, non-formal, and informal learning and digitalisation, aligning with the commitment to invest EUR 1,3 billion in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital skills through the Digital Europe Programme.












3.21.


Education must remain predominantly publicly funded and managed to guarantee equitable access and to safeguard its essential mission in preparing learners not only for the labour market but also for meaningful participation in society. The future Erasmus+ programme should better take into account the needs of relevant social partners and stakeholders.





Governance









3.22.


The EESC encourages careful consideration of the governance structure of the Union of Skills. Regarding the governance mechanisms at EU, national and sectoral levels, the Union of Skills acknowledges the importance of promoting social dialogue at all stages to shape skills development through collective bargaining, training funds, guidance services and the matching of jobs with skills. However, there is an opportunity to further clarify how social partners and relevant stakeholders will be actively engaged in the governance of these initiatives.












3.23.


The EESC notes the Education Council’s policy debate on the governance of the Union of Skills and the European Education Area, expressing concern over the fragmentation of education and training governance, particularly the role of informal ministerial groups lacking stakeholder involvement. It advocates for a collaborative approach to education policy, emphasising the need for curriculum design that aligns with the labour market and skills intelligence. The EESC highlights the tripartite Advisory Committee for VET (ACVT) as crucial for balanced representation in vocational education and training (VET) discussions with the Commission. While recognising the value of the proposed European Skills High-Level Board and the European STEM Executive Panel, it stresses the importance of inclusive decision-making encompassing governments, social partners, educators, practitioners, and civil society to reflect economic and social needs.












3.24.


Furthermore, the EESC emphasises the necessity for research-based EU policy-making to define terms such as adult learning, establish benchmarks for participation in adult learning, and ensure reliable statistics. It voices concern over the Union of Skills’ proposal for centralised skills-related research under the European Skills Intelligence Observatory, warning that this should not disrupt Cedefop’s tripartite governance or its mission to support EU policies on vocational training, skills, and qualifications.












3.25.


The EESC supports the Commission’s plan to propose a new recommendation on education and skills in the European Semester. As previously stated by the EESC (7), skills development and effective implementation of the right and access to lifelong learning must be an integral part of broader economic growth strategies and recovery and resilience plans.




4.   Action Plan on Basic Skills









4.1.


The plan appropriately recognises the gap in access to digital and other essential skills for adults. Additionally, parental involvement in the development of basic skills for young people is crucial. Access to ECEC for all children, especially those needing competence and skills development, must be enhanced (8).












4.2.


The EESC takes a positive view of the new targets set by the Action Plan on Basic Skills, but underlines the fact that no new target has been developed for citizenship skills, even though they have now been regarded as basic skills. The European Commission must develop an indicator assessing participation of learners in courses related to citizenship education (9) or establish a basic skills target for citizenship skills according to LifeComp, which should be brought to the same level as the targets for literacy, numeracy (including financial literacy), science and digital skills.












4.3.


The EESC welcomes the proposal to create a toolkit for basic skills in apprenticeships, providing valuable guidance for both VET institutions and employers. We encourage the inclusion of teachers, trainers, apprentices, employers and trade unions in developing this initiative to ensure it addresses the needs of apprentices and supports the effective implementation of the Council Recommendation of 15 March 2018 on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships and collective agreements.












4.4.


The EESC appreciates the stronger references to digital skills, but considers it crucial to expand the focus on wellbeing in connection to digital skills, and to encourage responsible technology use that strikes a balance between overexposure to digital tools and healthy adaptation to digital transitions. The EESC calls for responsible use of digital tool during studying and training process.












4.5.


A cohesive governance system and strong participation from social partners and public services are essential to enhancing adult learning access and effectively reaching low-skilled individuals. The Union of Skills proposal for community learning can be expanded through Cedefop-researched Community Lifelong Learning Centres.




5.   STEM Education Strategic Plan









5.1.


The EESC welcomes the intention to implement the STEM Education Strategic Plan through the policy coordination of reforms and investments, and in the context of an additional focus on STEM in the follow-up to education and skills reforms in the European Semester. The EU’s gaps in productivity and innovation capacity (10) indeed requires a new level of ambition and action if we want to develop top STEM talent, entrepreneurship and nurturing world-class industrial development in the EU, especially in areas such as AI, semiconductors, cybersecurity, life sciences, blockchain, clean tech, biotechnology or advanced manufacturing.












5.2.


Attracting more people, especially women, to STEM fields requires long-term efforts to challenge stereotypes, gender biases, and increase awareness. Public campaigns and sharing best practices are crucial tools in this regard. As is outlined in the STEM Education Strategic Plan, the engagement of more women in STEM studies will be crucial to meeting the ambitious targets that have been proposed.












5.3.


The EESC believes that further efforts to increase the prestige and social value of VET is needed to make VET more attractive, inclusive and innovative, particularly by strengthening basic skills and key competences within initial VET programmes, which is essential in supporting the competitiveness and innovation of the Union, which is expected to reindustrialise.












5.4.


Making initial VET appealing to students and parents requires continuous development of essential life skills like language learning, learning to learn, citizenship, teamwork, and creativity. VET should attract all learners and top teachers and trainers. Promoting inclusiveness, addressing gender stereotypes, and ensuring equal access to professions for everyone are vital. Effective steps hinge on codesigning VET within social and employment policies, especially regarding the quality jobs that VET degrees lead to.












5.5.


The EESC welcomes the EU Agenda proposal for teachers and trainers. It calls for a comprehensive strategy that protects professional autonomy and academic freedom, allowing educators to utilise their expertise and promote innovation. Competitive salaries, sustainable working conditions, and adequate investment in education are essential to attract and retain qualified professionals. Access to high-quality initial teacher education and updated continuous professional development, ideally during working hours, is critical for teachers to adapt to changing educational needs. The EESC urges a future Erasmus+ programme that addresses the need for improved access to a multilingual EU platform supporting recognised CPD for all teachers on pedagogy, leadership, EU values, and EU mobility as CPD.












5.6.


The EESC highlights the important role of public employment services, social partners, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders in supporting the development of basic and STEM skills among adults, especially jobseekers and NEETs, women, as well as the role of companies in outreach and guidance efforts aimed at assisting low-skilled and low-qualified workers. Migrant workers should have the same access to these measures. This could be further strengthened in the current initiatives.












5.7.


The STEM Education Strategic Plan must benefit employers and reflect the evolving needs of individuals, especially workers and jobseekers, and society as a whole. Promoting inclusive upskilling and reskilling in the plan is needed. Capacity Building for STEM actions in EU enlargement and priority countries should avoid brain-drain while enhancing talent retention, equal training access, regional and urban-rural labour mobility, and involving companies and trade unions.












5.8.


The EESC stresses including AI literacy in broader skills development. AI creates new opportunities and risks, so individuals must understand its impact and actively participate in designing and implementing it. AI literacy should be part of training by public employment services and workplaces. Ensuring AI benefits everyone requires involvement from companies, trade unions, civil society, and other stakeholders. Clear guidelines and ethical regulations are essential to protect rights and prevent data misuse.






Brussels, 17 July 2025.


The President


of the European Economic and Social Committee

Oliver RÖPKE
               





(1)  Action 7 – Empowering citizens through financial literacy – European Commission: https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/capital-markets-union/capital-markets-union-2020-action-plan/action-7-empowering-citizens-through-financial-literacy_en.

(2)  
            
OJ C 146, 27.4.2023, p. 15; 
OJ C 237, 6.7.2018, p. 8; 
OJ C 14, 15.1.2020, p. 60; 
OJ C 14, 15.1.2020, p. 46; 
OJ C 286, 16.7.2021, p. 20; 
OJ C 10, 11.1.2021, p. 40; 
OJ C 286, 16.7.2021, p. 27; 
OJ C 429, 11.12.2020, p. 210; 
OJ C 194, 12.5.2022, p. 34; 
OJ C 105, 4.3.2022, p. 128; 
OJ C 290, 29.7.2022, p. 109; Labour Market Observatory (LMO) study on ‘
            The work of the future, ensuring lifelong learning and training of employees
            ’ (2022) https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/publications-other-work/publications/work-future-ensuring-lifelong-learning-and-training-employees; etc.

(3)  Including increasing water resilience.

(4)  JRC (2025), 
STEM and STEAM education, and disciplinary integration: a guide to informed policy action
: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141438.

(5)  Directive 2005/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on ship-source pollution and on the introduction of penalties for infringements (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 11).

(6)  Talent Mobility Package.

(7)  Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on supporting labour market developments: how to maintain employability, boost productivity and develop skills, especially in SMEs (own-initiative opinion) (
OJ C 146, 27.4.2023, p. 15).

(8)  Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Proposal for a Council Recommendation Establishing a European Child Guarantee (COM(2021) 137 final) – Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – EU strategy on the rights of the child (COM(2021) 142 final) (
OJ C 374, 16.9.2021, p. 58).

(9)  According to Council Recommendation of 22 May 2018 on key competences for lifelong learning Text with EEA relevance. ‘Citizenship competence is the ability to act as responsible citizens and to fully participate in civic and social life, based on understanding of social, economic, legal and political concepts and structures, as well as global developments and sustainability’.

(10)  
            A competitiveness compass for the EU: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/10017eb1-4722-4333-add2-e0ed18105a34_en?filename=Communication_1.pdf.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/5159/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)