MEP Victor Negrescu, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Education and Culture (CULT), was appointed as rapporteur of the opinion of the Committee for the European Year of Competences.

“I have been appointed as the person responsible for the European Year of Competences by the European Parliament’s Committee on Education and Culture. After negotiating the text of the European legislator’s report on the subject in the first part of the day, I then took part in a discussion on European solutions for increasing competences”, announced Victor Negrescu.

The Social Democrat MEP also stressed that “in a context where only 37% of European workers have access to continuous training at work, with real discrepancies between Member States, the European Union must shift from speeches to concrete measures, with adequate funding and an integrated, humane and realistic approach”.

With the European Year of Skills, launched last October, the European Commission, in cooperation with the European Parliament, Member States, social partners, public and private employment services, chambers of commerce and industry, education and training providers, and workers and companies all together, proposes to give a fresh impetus to lifelong learning by:

• Promoting increased, and more effective and inclusive investment in training and upskilling to harness the full potential of the European workforce, and to support people in changing from one job to another.
• Making sure that skills are relevant for labor market needs, by also cooperating with social partners and companies.
• Matching people’s aspirations and skill sets with opportunities on the job market, especially for the green and digital transition and the economic recovery. A special focus will be given to activate more people for the labor market, in particular women and young people, especially those not in education, employment, or training.
• Attracting people from third countries with the skills needed by the EU, including by strengthening learning opportunities and mobility and facilitating the recognition of qualifications.

To meet these objectives, the Commission will promote upskilling and reskilling opportunities, for instance by highlighting relevant EU initiatives, including EU funding possibilities, to support their take-up, implementation, and delivery on the ground. Events and awareness-raising campaigns will also be organized across the EU to support mutual learning of partners in up- and reskilling.