On Monday 6 February, the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL) called for the EU to “intensify and advance the skills development of the European workforce to boost competitiveness, participation and quality in the labour market” during the European Year of Skills (9 May 2023 to 8 May 2024).
They did so by adopting the report by Loucas Fourlas (EPP, Cypriot) by 36 votes to 2 with no abstentions, and agreeing to start inter-institutional negotiations by 35 votes to 2 with 1 abstention.
MEPs want to ensure that “the future generation of workers, especially young people, women, asylum seekers and migrants, have the skills and support needed for their personal professional development and for the success of the green and digital transition in Europe”, according to a statement.
The text calls on the EU “to invest in inclusive and accessible lifelong learning systems and to address skills gaps and mismatches in the European workforce. High quality education and training should facilitate access to skills development, including for disadvantaged groups and vulnerable citizens, and provide businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, with the skills they need”.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/58l (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)