The first principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights states that everybody in the EU has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning. 

The updated Skills Agenda delivers on this principle by helping people to develop and widen their skills throughout their life.

A skilled workforce is crucial to ensure a prompt recovery after COVID-19 and reap the benefits of the green and digital transitions, achieving the objectives of

• the European Green Deal
• the European Digital Strategy
• the new Industrial and Small and Medium Enterprise Strategy, along with the European Education Area

EU support for national skills strategies and public employment services

National skills strategies, designed and delivered in a whole-of-government approach, align efforts across employment, education, research, industry and regional development policies. They should involve social partners, civil society, education, training and labour market stakeholders and build on existing national skills strategies.

• The Commission will support all Member States to prepare national skills strategies under the updated Skills Agenda. This will build on the work already done with the OECD in 11 Member States and other skills strategies at Member State level.
• The EU skills profile tool for third country nationals helps refugees, citizens of non-EU countries and migrants profile their skills.

Skills for green and digital transitions

To support the green transition, the Commission will develop:

• a European competence framework on education for climate change and sustainable development;
• a taxonomy to monitor progress in the development of skills for the ecological transition, in the context of the ESCO classification.

To support skills development alongside the digital transition, the Commission will:

• Update the Digital Education Action Plan, to ensure that digital skills are preperly addressed at all levels of education and training;
• Implement the Digital Europe programme, with a focus on high level digital skills;
• Support EU ICT-Jump-Start intensive courses to help the current workforce acquire relevant digital skills.