Digital skills and education package - Related Opinions

The EESC stresses that the success of the Union of skills depends on effective and cooperative governance, adequate financing, and inclusive representation of social partners, national authorities and other stakeholders, including civil society organisations, teachers and learners. This opinion points at the importance of tailored support for SMEs and for women and disadvantaged individuals. It calls for improving the quality, inclusiveness, attractiveness, effectiveness and accessibility of vocational education and training and adult learning, and to make Europe more attractive to global talent. It asks that recommendations on education and skills be fully integrated into the European Semester process.

The opinion expresses the views of the EU organized civil society on the priorities to the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW69). It calls for an increased pace of progress on gender equality, be more vocal about the shrinking space for civil society and block any backlash against women’s rights. Some challenges to be addressed include attracting more women to politics, addressing violence against women, ensuring a gender-equal just transition, closing the gender digital gap and the unpaid care responsibilities and ensuring women stay in the labour market.

Working life is transforming due to the accelerating digital transformation, automation, and transition to climate neutrality. A workforce with the right skills will contribute to strengthen the competitiveness of the union. Against the background of the Commission’s announcement of making 2023 the European Year of Skills. What competence and skill development will be needed?

The EESC welcomes the proposal's intention to implement the EPSR and other EU initiatives aimed at making quality and inclusive education a reality within the green and digital transitions. The EESC calls on Member States to ensure that blended learning is not detrimental to the social value of education or to the relevance of face-to-face teaching. They need to ensure that blended learning is established to support the quality and inclusion of education, in particular for children in need. The EESC notes that well-developed blended learning needs to be supported by sustainable public investment and should be implemented in curricula with a whole-school approach, taking into consideration the needs of teachers, students and their families.

The EESC recommends, in order to achieve high-quality and inclusive education and training and lifelong learning for all, establishing achievable long-term goals and a constant monitoring system within the European Education Area (EEA) for each Member State. The teaching of key competences, including social sensitivity, empathy, intercultural dialogue and citizenship skills, should be applied across the whole education and training process. This opinion also points at the importance of taking a holistic approach to the implementation of recent EU initiatives on education, vocational education and training, skills, youth education and digital skills. The EESC calls on Member States to ensure effective support for those facing difficulties in accessing quality and inclusive adult education and training, via targeted funding for those in need, such as the unemployed, non-standard workers, the low-skilled and people with disabilities.