Commission’s Union of Skills package enabling the digital transition
The Union of Skills package, adopted by the European Commission on 5 March 2025, marks a huge step towards bolstering the competitiveness of the EU by strengthening skills, and putting people first. Together with a Basic Skills Action Plan and a STEM Education Strategic Plan, the Union of Skills is a flagship initiative of the first 100 days of the new Commission.
Aiming at skills: new ventures
The package announces a number of important initiatives for promoting both basic and advanced digital skills. DG CNECT will establish 4 new Advanced Digital Skills Academies in AI, Quantum, Virtual Worlds and Semiconductors, as well as promote joint and future European degrees in digital technologies and their applications within key sectors, like health and biotech. Training for ‘Destination Earth’ technologies, such as climate modelling, is also planned to kick off shortly. Finally, the European Advanced Digital Skills Competitions, to be launched by DG CNECT, mean young Europeans will have more chances to engage in the development of cutting-edge digital technologies.
The Competitiveness Compass, adopted on 29 January 2025, lays out “promoting skills and quality jobs” as one of the flagship measures for Europe to regain its competitiveness and secure its prosperity. As one of its Flagship Actions enablers, the Union of Skills supports the development of quality, inclusive and adaptable education, training and skills systems by delivering higher levels of basic skills, providing lifelong opportunities for adults to regularly upskill and reskill, facilitating recruitment by businesses across the EU, attracting and retaining the skills and talents in the European economy, and providing a strong governance foundation.
A human-centric answer to the talent gap
Measures proposed under the Union of Skills will help bolster the capacity-building in EU businesses, with a focus on basic and future-oriented skills, such as STEM and advanced digital skills. In turn, pilot schemes such as the ‘Basic Skills Support Scheme’ and the ‘Skills Guarantee’ will ensure higher overall levels of basic skills and streamline the provision of lifelong opportunities, empowering individuals to up- and re-skill. The ‘Skills Portability’ initiative will ease recruitment needs of businesses throughout the EU by promoting the use of digital credentials and facilitating the recognition and acceptance of skills and qualifications across the EU, regardless of where they were acquired. This directly supports the competitiveness of European SMEs as well.
Actions like the Marie Skłodowska-Curie pilot call ‘Choose Europe’ will aim to bring top-tier talent from all over the world to Europe. Gathering a total budget of €22.5 million to attract global talent, ‘Choose Europe’ will pave the way for in-depth scientific working, including good employment conditions and stellar career prospects. Subject to approval by the European Parliament and Council, the Commission will set up an EU Talent Pool to facilitate recruitment of talent from outside the EU at all skills levels, especially in occupations facing severe shortages.
Launched against the backdrop of increasing skills shortages, the Union of Skills directly addresses large talent gaps: close to 4 out of 5 European SMEs are unable to find workers with the right skillsets, especially in technologies like AI or quantum computing. Equally, it is difficult for education and training to keep up with rapid technological change, with many young people still lacking basic digital skills and a declining tendency in some EU Member States for mathematics, reading and science. More adults than now should be taking part in either education or training, and almost half of EU citizens lack basic digital skills required by most jobs today.
