Decision (EU) 2023/936 on a European Year of Skills

Summary:

Decision (EU) 2023/936 - adopted by the co-legislators on 10 May 2023 - establishing the European Year of Skills for 2023. This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

The green and digital transition set out for the European Union (EU) comprise the opening up new opportunities for people and the economy. Having the relevant skills empowers people to successfully navigate labour market changes and to remain fully engaged in society. However, over three quarters of companies the EU report difficulties in finding workers with the necessary skills. Figures from Eurostat suggest that only 37% of adults undertake training on a regular basis. The Digital Economy and Society Index shows that 4 out of 10 adults and every third person who works in the EU lack basic digital skills.

In order to boost competitiveness of companies, to realise the full potential of the transition in a socially fair, inclusive and just manner, the President of the European Commission announced during her annual State of the European Union (SOTEU) address the European Year of Skills for 2023. These aims include:

1. Promoting increased, more effective and inclusive investment into training and upskilling;
2. Strengthening skills relevance;
3. Matching people’s aspirations and skills-set with labour market opportunities;
4. Attracting people from third countries with the skills needed by the EU.

The proposed Decision was adopted by the European Commission on 12 October 2022. An informal agreement between the co-legislators on a compromise text for this file was reached on 7 March 2023. The Act was formally signed by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on 10 May 2023, and published in the Official Journal on 11 May 2023.

The European Year of Skills runs in the period from 9 May 2023 to 8 May 2024.

Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2022)526: Proposal for a Decision on a European Year of Skills 2023 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2022:526:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on European Year of Skills 2023 (2022/0326(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2022/0326(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: European Year of skills 2023 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-an-economy-that-works-for-people/file-european-year-of-skills-2023

Official Website of the European Year of Skills https://year-of-skills.europa.eu/index_en

European Commission: Priorities 2019-2024: European Year of Skills 2023 https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-year-skills-2023_en

European Commission: DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion: Skills and qualifications https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1146

European Commission: News, 14/09/2022: 2022 State of the Union: "2023 will be the European year of Skills" https://digital-skills-jobs.europa.eu/en/latest/news/2022-state-union-2023-will-be-european-year-skills

European Commission: Press Release, 12/10/2022: Commission kick-starts work on the European Year of Skills https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6086

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (EU CEDEFOP): News, 17/10/2022: Gearing up for European Year of Skills 2023 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/news/gearing-european-year-skills-2023

European Commission: Press Release, 07/03/2023: Commission welcomes political agreement on the European Year of Skills https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_1501

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 07/03/2023: Council and Parliament pave the way for a European Year of Skills https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/03/07/council-and-parliament-pave-the-way-for-a-european-year-of-skills/

Renew Europe EP Group: Newsroom, 30/03/2023: This is the European Year of Skills! https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/news/2023-03-30/this-is-the-european-year-of-skills

German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, 09/05/2023: European Year of Skills. An initiative of the European Commission to boost training and upskilling https://www.bmas.de/EN/Europe-and-the-World/Europe/European-Year-of-Skills/european-year-of-skills.html

Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: News, 09/05/2023: European Year of Skills highlights the competence of working-age people https://tem.fi/en/european-year-of-skills

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News

EurActiv: Topics: European Year of Skills https://www.euractiv.com/topics/european-year-of-skills/

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Commentary and Analysis

European Commission: Library Guide on the European Year of Skills 2023 https://ec-europa-eu.libguides.com/european-year-of-skills

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), 14/10/2022: 2023: European year of skills… for quality or precarious jobs? https://www.etuc.org/en/document/2023-european-year-skills-quality-or-precarious-jobs

European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA): News, 28/10/2022: 2023 will be the EU Year of Skills https://eaea.org/2022/10/28/2023-will-be-the-eu-year-of-skills/

European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): At a Glance, 25/11/2022: Proposal to make 2023 European Year of Skills https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2022)739206

European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE): News, 06/12/2022: European Year of Skills 2023: views of ETUCE https://www.csee-etuce.org/en/news/education-policy/5050-european-year-of-skills-2023-views-of-etuce

European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI), 22/12/2022: European Year of Skills 2023 must be inclusive and encompassing https://www.cesi.org/posts/european-year-of-skills-2023-must-be-inclusive-and-encompassing/

Social Europe, 06/03/2023: Making the most of the European Year of Skills https://www.socialeurope.eu/making-the-most-of-the-european-year-of-skills

AGE Platform Europe: News, 14/03/2023: 2023 is the European Year of Skills https://www.age-platform.eu/policy-work/news/2023-european-year-skills

EurActiv: Events, 27/03/2023: The year of skills - Is a digitised Europe learning what it takes to compete globally? [via Youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAA2uT1IXY

EUObserver: Analysis, 03/04/2023: The EU 'Year of Skills' is only about skills — that's a problem https://euobserver.com/health-and-society/156888

Jacques Delors Institute (Notre Europe): Infographic No 30, 02/05/2023: 2023 European Year of Skills https://institutdelors.eu/en/publications/2023-annee-europeenne-des-competences/

European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA): News, 08/05/2023: European Year of Skills starts on 9 May 2023 https://eaea.org/2023/05/08/european-year-of-skills-starts-on-9-may-2023/

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