On 5 November 2026, the European Commission published its new European Vocational Education and Training (VET) Strategy, part of the wider Education and Skills Package. The Strategy sets out ten initiatives to support the modernisation of VET systems across Europe, with particular attention to training quality, cooperation with businesses and international mobility.
The document builds on the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET and the commitments made by Member States in the 2025 Herning Declaration. It forms part of the Union of Skills, the Commission’s framework for addressing skills shortages and supporting Europe’s workforce.
What does the new Strategy propose?
The Commission has organised its initiatives around three main objectives.
The first concerns quality and flexibility in VET. A European Sectoral Training Accelerator, expected to begin with a pilot in 2027, will support the development of short training modules designed with industry and potentially leading to micro-credentials or sectoral certifications. The Commission also intends to strengthen basic skills within VET through EQAVET and establish a European Vocational Excellence Network, building on the existing Centres of Vocational Excellence.
The second objective addresses cooperation between VET providers and businesses. The Strategy proposes the development of training centres jointly established by companies and VET institutions, allowing learners to train with new technologies. Sectoral apprenticeship clusters, developed through the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, are also foreseen to support new approaches to work-based learning for young people and adults.
The third objective focuses on European and international cooperation. An EU marketplace for VET mobility is planned to facilitate training opportunities abroad for learners and apprentices. The Commission will also support VET reforms in candidate countries and expand cooperation with non-EU partners through Erasmus+, Global Gateway, Talent Partnerships and other existing instruments.
Implementation will be monitored through existing indicators covering employment outcomes, work-based learning, continuing VET and progress on national reforms. The Strategy also refers to future EU funding instruments, including the Multiannual Financial Framework and Erasmus+.
The European VET Strategy on the agenda in Paris
The publication comes less than two weeks before the EVBB Annual Conference 2026, “Europe’s VET Strategy in Action: Skills, Business and Global Partnerships”, taking place in Paris from 18 to 20 November.
The new Strategy will be central to discussions involving representatives of European institutions, VET providers, national authorities, businesses and international organisations.
Manuela Geleng, Director for Jobs and Skills at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), will join the Conference for a keynote session entitled “Europe’s VET Strategy: What Changes Now?”. Her participation will give attendees the opportunity to hear directly from the Commission about the Strategy’s priorities and the next steps in its implementation.
The programme will also address cooperation between VET institutions and industry, skills development, international partnerships and the practical application of European policy. Dedicated implementation labs and study visits will allow participants to discuss these topics in relation to their own institutions and national VET systems.
With the Strategy now published, the Paris Conference provides an opportunity for EVBB members and partners to examine the Commission’s proposals and discuss their implementation with policymakers and fellow VET practitioners.
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