Building a Skilled Workforce for Strategic Autonomy: Advancing Circular Economy Preparedness - Related links

European Commission & Joint Research Centre

Most recent publications

• Circular Economy Act – European Commission (to be adopted) (2026)
  • Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) 2020 – European Commission (2020) (skills discussed on p.19 under '5. Making Circularity Work for People, Regions and Cities'
• Transitioning to a Circular Economy Closing the Investment Gap in Europe – European Commission, European Investment Bank (2026)
• Union of skills – European Commission Communication (5 March 2025)
• Implementation, results and overall assessment of the European Year of Skills – European Commission Report (2025)
• European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (webpage) – public consultation ongoing, set to be revised in 2026
• Digital Skills (webpage) 
  • European Digital Innovation Hubs
  • Digital Europe Programme 
• Digital Europe Programme fuels digital transformation and skills development across Europe – Press Release (18 December 2025)
• Political Guidelines for the Next European Commission 2024-2029 – Ursula Von Der Leyen (18 July 2024), p.12 ('Tackling the Skills and Labour Gaps')
• European Skills Agenda – European Commission (2020) (webpage)
  • Pact For Skills (webpage)
• Youth Employment Support: A Bridge to Jobs for the Next Generation – European Commission communication (2020)
• European Universities Initiative (2019) (webpage) 
• Analytical Report on Skills – European Construction Sector Observatory (ECSO) (16 December 2025)
• Industrial Accelerator Act – Commission Proposal (4 March 2026), Article 26(h)-(i)

Joint Research Centre

• A pathway to Europe's Competitiveness: the clean transition. The essential brief – JRC Report (16 June 2026)

• European Skills Intelligence Observatory – JRC Publications (29 May 2026)
• Towards a more comprehensive assessment of socio-economic impacts of Circular Economy policies – JRC Report (19 December 2024)
• Skills for the energy transition in the changing labour market – JRC Factsheet (1 December 2023)

European Council

• Tackling the skills shortage: Council adopts recommendation on human capital – Council of the EU (9 March 2026)

• European council conclusions on competitiveness, European defence and security and migration – European Council press release (20 March 2025), 'Single Market, Industry and Skills'

  Ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality – Council Recommendation (16 June 2022

European Parliament and Council of the European Union

• Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 – Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council (December 2022), recitals (12), (26), Article 4(1)
• Net-Zero Industry Act – Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (13 June 2024), recital (102)-(110), Article 30-32 (Chapter V: Enhancing Skills for Quality Job Creation)
• Critical Raw Materials Act - Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (11 April 2024), Article 26(f)

European Parliament

• European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience – European Parliament Resolution (11 February 2021)
• New Circular Economy Action Plan – European Parliament Resolution  (10 February 2021)

European Parliament Research Service

• Union of skills - EPRS At A Glance (Marcb 2025)
• Learning for a greener and more sustainable future – EPRS Briefing (September 2023)
• Closing the EU skills gap – Insights from the Draghi report - EPRS At A Glamce (11 October 2024)
• Maximising the impact of EU initiatives on skills – EPRS Briefing (October 2024)
• Skills for the labour market: EU policies for VET and upskilling - EPRS Briefing (September 2019)

Additional Articles, Studies and Reports

General

• Green skills shortage complicates Europe’s transition to sustainable heating – Clean Energy Wire (15 June 2026)
• Europe’s skills system needs the social partners: new joint report and recommendations on skills mismatches – ETUC (20 March 2026)
• Who Powers Europe’s Twin Transition? Mapping green skills, talent hubs, and strategic gaps in Europe’s AI workforce – Interface (25 February 2026)
• Fostering competences for the green transition – Horizon Research and Innovation Actions (2026)
• Skills For Critical Raw Materials – European Training Foundation (2025)
• Jobs and skills for a circular economy – Royal Society of Chemistry, IChemE, Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (2025)
• Employment and Skills Policies for the Green Transition: Review of International Good Practices – OECD (8 December 2025)
• Scaling Europe’s Green Skills – Inno Energy (14 October 2025)
• PES Toolkit on Green Skills and Jobs: From commitment to practical steps and strategies – European Network of Public Employment Services (31 July 2025)
• Green skills wanted: how the green transition is reshaping the labour market – CEDEFOP (24 July 2025)
• Towards a circular economy: skills and competences for STEM professionals – Circle Economy (9 May 2025)
• Futures of Green Skills and Jobs in Europe in 2050: Scenarios and Policy Implications – Insight Foresight Institute (2024)
• Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy in European SMEs: Investigating the Role of Green Jobs and Skills– Sustainability (3 November 2021)

European Economic and Social Committee

Studies

• Europe’s Circular Economy and its Pact for Skills: working together for an inclusive and job-rich transition? – EESC Report (7 July 2023)

European Committee of the Regions 

Relevant opinions 

• CDR-1152-2025: 'The Clean Industrial Deal'; Rapporteur: William Elofsson (2025)
• CDR-1265-2020: 'New circular economy Action Plan'; Rapporteur: Tjisse Stelpstra (2022)