The European Commission presented today (15 November2023) a series of new initiatives in a Skills and Talent Mobility package to make the EU more attractive to talent from outside EU, and to facilitate mobility within. Today’s measures include a new EU Talent Pool to match employers in the EU with jobseekers in third countries as well as measures to promote the recognition of qualifications and learner’s mobility. They come as key deliverables of the European Year of Skills.
Skills shortages persist across the EU in a range of sectors and skills levels. Many employers cannot find the workers they need.
■ The green transition will create 1 to 2.5 million additional jobs by 2030.
■ Amidst the digital transition, the EU is currently 11 million short of its target of 20 million Information and Communications Technology professionals employed by 2030.
■ The Commission has identified 42 EU-wide shortage occupations.
The following initiatives will support Member States in the global race for talent:
The EU Talent Pool – Making recruitment from outside the EU easier
The Commission is proposing to establish an EU Talent Pool to
- help match skilled third country nationals from outside the EU with EU employers. This will be done faster and easier, based on shortages occupations and labour market needs;
- support recruitment processes and protect third country nationals from possible exploitative practices;
- improve cooperation with non-EU countries on legal migration, by disincentivising irregular migration.
The EU Talent Pool will additionally support the implementation of Talent Partnerships. These are tailor-made partnerships with non-EU countries, providing mobility for work or training.
Easier and faster recognition of qualifications gained in third countries
The Commission is recommending a set of measures to simplify and speed up the recognition of skills and qualifications of third country nationals in Member States to:
- simplify and expedite recognition decisions to fill vacancies in EU shortage occupations;
- build trust in qualifications and skills and increase the level of information
on skills acquired outside the EU.
Making learning mobility an opportunity for everybody
The proposed Council Recommendation ‘Europe on the move – learning mobility opportunities for everyone‘ aims to:
- make learning mobility an integral part of all education and training pathways;
- increase the share of learners in the EU who benefit from learning mobility;
- make the EU an even more attractive learning destination.
The Commission proposes to set new ambitious goals for 2030: increasing the share of mobility experience to at least 25% for higher education graduates, at least 20% for learners with fewer opportunities, and at least 15% for vocational learners.
Next Steps
The Commission’s proposal for an EU Talent Pool will now be negotiated by the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission will support Member States’ implementation of the Recommendation on recognition of qualifications of third country nationals, and invite them to report on national initiatives, reforms, good practices and statistics. The Recommendation ‘Europe on the Move’ will be submitted to the Council for its consideration and adoption.
Read the Communication on skills and talent mobility here.
Source: European Commission Press Corner https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_5740
