30.5.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 188/3
17. considers it necessary to introduce a range of policies on rural areas in order to tackle depopulation resulting in the loss of talent, and especially for the areas most impacted by climate change and areas with severe and permanent natural or demographic obstacles, such as the outermost regions, islands and more remote and isolated regions where access to resources is often more limited.
The Committee reiterates that the future of such areas is dependent on retaining and attracting young talent to pursue their life goals there and on fully involving young people when seeking solutions to local challenges;
18. calls for education and training to be accessible to all ages and social groups, both physically on-site and through remote access, as well as sharing knowledge on innovative approaches on skill-obtaining processes, and developing community centres with a range of services from libraries to social work; also agrees on the importance of broadening labour and training opportunities and encouraging measures to promote work-life balance;
19. considers it essential to boost public policies which promote the modernisation and adaptation to climate change of farms, as well as to encourage young professionals to join the agricultural sector in order to tackle the problem of generational renewal.
To this end, access to social and labour market integration programmes, to education, upskilling and reskilling options offered at local level, as well as to cultural activities, needs to be rethought and supported;
20. highlights that smart villages create new opportunities for a diversified rural economy and access to the job market, and requests intensive support for rural areas to fulfil the 2030 policy program, especially strengthening digital skills and education, secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, the digital transformation of businesses and the digitalisation of public services; welcomes the inclusion of rural areas in the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade;
21. recognises the important role women play in areas at risk of depopulation and therefore promotes and supports measures to create equal opportunities for women in innovative, sustainable and creative jobs and services;
22. underscores the need for Member States to give firm support to policies fostering girls’ and women’s participation in STEAM education (information and communications technology, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), and provide incentives to create jobs in sectors where their knowledge can be applied;
23. emphasises that boosting the digital transition of regions caught in a talent-development trap is essential and also in the interest of strong economic, social and territorial cohesion.
The CoR proposes promoting digital cohesion as an objective of the European Union so that suitable digital infrastructure can be put in place to ensure that teleworking, e-services and digital education are accessible to everyone.
Particular attention should be paid to access to digital tools for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups;
24. notes that citizens and businesses in Europe’s border regions face numerous legal and administrative obstacles that hamper economic growth and cross-border cooperation, and stresses the need for a border-free Schengen area for all Member States so as to facilitate the mobility of students, workers and business, especially in the border regions;
25. highlights the role of social innovation for developing new ideas, services and models to better address societal challenges, notably in the fields of employment, education, skills and social inclusion, and its added value for community development and the improvement of social services on the ground.
To this effect the Committee highlights the potential of the social economy in the areas of vocational training, in universities and at all levels of education, and in active employment policies, as well as in the development of skills and competencies;
26. encourages tapping into the ESF Social Innovation+ funding to strengthen innovation capacity and facilitate the transfer and upscaling of innovative solutions;
Upgrading the effectiveness of education and responding to labour market needs
27. notes that although the situation varies widely across the EU, one of the main challenges when designing and implementing new standards and practices for education and training is the extent to which they successfully respond to labour market needs.
Skills gaps and mismatches exacerbate territorial disparities, and this needs to be addressed through well-designed, place-based and adequately financed policies;