The Council of the European Union has recently launched a Recommendation on Human Capital in the European Union. This document positions human capital as the key driver of EU competitiveness, resilience, and social cohesion, and as an economic and strategic asset for Europe’s future, in connection with the:
- Union of Skills;
- Competitiveness Compass;
- Green and digital transitions.
This Recommendation identifies 5 main challenges to which VET provide a solution:
- Structural skills shortages, particularly in strategic sectors;
- Persistent basic and transversal skills gaps;
- Fragmented investment in skills development;
- Weak capacity to anticipate skills needs and labour market transitions;
- Disparities in terms of access to education across regions.
The Council Recommendation confirms that Europe’s future competitiveness depends on its human capital. VET stands at the centre of this transformation, acting as the bridge between skills, innovation and labour market needs.
Given the relevance of this document to the mission of EfVET and its Policy WG, we hereby share this Council Recommendation, you can find the full document here: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-6081-2026-REV-1/en/pdf