European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social priorities – annual report 2026

Tabled by Séverine Werbrouck

19. Removed: Highlights the need for EU initiatives on skills shortages to provide stronger support for comprehensive, inclusive Added: Acknowledges the existence of skills shortages in certain sectors but stresses that responses must primarily focus on mobilising the existing workforce within the Member States, improving working conditions and wage levels, and strengthening national education and vocational training systems in line with domestic labour market needs; underlines that education and training Removed: systems, including through active labour market policies, individual learning accounts and micro-credentials, and the strengthening of procedures for the validation of non-formal and informal learning; further stresses the importance of improving and facilitating fair labour mobility within the EU and of the role of legal migration and the recognition of foreign qualifications to address skills shortages; is concerned that adult participation in training remains well below the 60 % target in most Member States, particularly among low-skilled workers, older workers, non-EU nationals and persons with disabilities; calls on the Commission to put forward concrete solutions to skills shortages and to address persistent challenges in the upcoming Fair Labour Mobility Package, ensuring that the forthcoming Skills Portability Initiative addresses current obstacles to skills recognition; Added: policies fall within the competences of the Member States and must respect national specificities;

Wording as published by the EP, in English. PE782.984v01-00