Europe's global competitiveness depends on its ability to innovate and grow, but persistent skills shortages in key sectors are creating a bottleneck. To tackle this challenge, the European Commission is preparing a new European Strategy for Vocational Education and Training (VET), aiming to turn vocational training into a strategic lever for economic resilience.

While over half of secondary learners in the EU choose vocational pathways, participation remains insufficient in high-demand areas like the green and digital transitions. The new strategy aims to:

• close these gaps by modernizing VET systems
• make them more responsive to labour market needs
• ensure they are seen as an attractive, high-quality option for learners of all ages

By upgrading VET, the EU aims to equip its workforce with the right skills to drive productivity and strategic autonomy in key sectors.

Call for evidence

To ensure the strategy reflects the realities on the ground, the Commission is launching a call for evidence to gather input from all interested parties. We invite stakeholders, including businesses, public authorities, VET providers, social partners and learners to help us shape this strategy. Your feedback on the current barriers and potential solutions is essential to creating a training system that supports both individual careers and Europe's economic competitiveness.

The consultation is open until 19 February 2026.

Give feedback on the call for evidence

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