Activities of Katrin LANGENSIEPEN related to 2022/0326(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of Skills 2023
Amendments (35)
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) A skilled workforce is crucial to ensuring socially fair and just greQuality jobs and a skilled citizenry who are practised in democratic participation and the pursuit of personal and community development and digitalre crucial to ensuring the just transitions, and to strengthening the Union’s sustainable competitiveness and resilience in the face of adverse external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the fallout of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. More and better skills open up new opportunities and empower individuals to fully participate in the labour market, society and democracysociety, democratic processes and the labour market, to harness and benefit from the opportunities of the green and digital transitions and to exercise their rights, to exercise their rights, closing skills and competences gaps that is necessary for empowered citizens and it shall explore how to build bridges between these so-called twin and how they can complement each other from an education and training point of view, along with alternative pathways to successfully achieve sustainability by means of lifelong learning.
Amendment 39 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Across the Union, companies report difficulties to find workers with the necessary skills and workers find it difficult to find quality jobs which match their skills levels and qualifications. In 2021, 28 occupations were classified as having shortages, including the healthcare, hospitality, construction and service sectors, in addition to shortages of IT and security specialists, in particular cybersecurity experts, and workers with science, technology, engineering and mathematics background.22 Increasingly, the biggest constraint to a successful digital and green transition is the quality jobs offers with decent salary and fair working conditions which results in lack of workers with the right skills22a. In many Member States, demographic ageing is expected to accelerate over the coming decade as “baby boom” cohorts retire, reinforcing the need to make use of the full potential of all working-age adultindividuals through continuous investments in their skills as well as acmotivitating more people, in particular women and young people especially those not in education, employment or training (NEETs)people belonging to disadvantaged groups, and those living in remote and rural areas. Strengthening personal development and learning guidance from an early age and supporting equal access to information and guidance by students and adult learners can help young people choose suitable learning pathways leading to fair and appropriate employment opportunities. _________________ 22 European Labour Authority, Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2021 and ENISA, Cybersecurity skills development in the EU, March 2020. The ENISA studies identify that there is a gap of 291,000 professionals in cybersecurity. 22a According to CEDEFOP, 45% of the workers think that their skills do not fully match to the jobs they do, while 70% of the companies suffer from skills shortages but few of them link this to obstacles they create to find skilled workers, e.g. recruitment problem, geographical location of the company, salary level and working conditions: European Skills and Jobs survey, CEDEFOP, 2015 and CEDEFOP, 2015 Skills, qualifications and jobs in the EU: the making of a perfect match?
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2 a (new)
Recital 2 a (new)
(2a) Young people and women have more difficulties in participating in the labour market. NEETs is a broad category encompassing a heterogeneous population including the unemployed, school dropouts and all those discouraged college graduates who still have not found a job. The unemployed are only a subgroup of the broader category of NEET and the overlap between the unemployed and the NEET group varies over time and country. The NEET concept differs from the unemployment concept with respect to two dimensions. First, it includes people not meeting the job- seeking requirement to become classified as unemployed, and second, it includes young people in training. Nevertheless young people are particularly affected by the fact that working hours decreased during the Covid19 pandemic more than employment and tend to be overskilled and overqualified.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2 b (new)
Recital 2 b (new)
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 2 c (new)
Recital 2 c (new)
(2c) The OECD 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that more than 20 % pupils in the Union have insufficient proficiency in three basic skills: literacy, numeracy and scientific thinking. These trends continue into adulthood: according to data of the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), one in five adult Europeans has inadequate literacy and numeracy skills, and for digital skills, this is as many as two in five Europeans with no or very low skills. Those skills are fundamental to the formation of a skilled citizenry, and, implicitly, workforce, as well as forming the basis for other skills, such as media literacy, basic and advanced digital literacy, critical thinking, systemic thinking and communicative skills, which are necessary for citizens to thrive in a democracy and to pursue personal development.
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Low skills of working-age adultformal education and functional literacy, numeracy and digital skills levels of learners remain a significant challenge for the Union, pointing to considerable untapped potential of upskilling and reskilling to help mitigate increasing labour shortages in sectors such as manufacturing and services, and empowering people to create, embark on and continue their personal and professional learning particulthways, lear nin economic activities related to hospitality and manufacturing of computer and electronic equipment, and the care sectorg to a more skilled workforce, but also more active citizenship, sustainability, democracy and social inclusion.25 However, participation in adult learning in the Union has stagnated over the last decade and 21 Member States fell short of the 2020 EU-level target. For many adults, such as those in atypical forms of work, employees of small and medium-sized enterprises, the unemployed, the inactive and the low- qualified, skills development opportunitiesespecially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, learning adults, are too often out of reach. Increasing the upskillaccess to learning and reskillproviding osupportuniti through guidance and counselling services for these groups, and all working-age adults,adults, and boosting the capacity- building activities at the regional level, can also contributes to reaching the EU employment target of 78%, with employment rate in the EU in 2021 being at 73.1%.26, alongside the many non- labour market-related benefits of adult learning and education. Further efforts are needed to provide effective support to the unemployed, low-skilled and low qualified adults via enhanced implementation of the Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults (2016) and the Council recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market (2016). _________________ 25 European Commission, 2021 Labour Market and Wage Developments in Europe, p. 26 26 Eurostat, Employment (as % of the population aged 20 to 64), (LFSI_EMP_A)
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) Principle 3 of the European Pillar of Social Rights underlines that regardless of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, everyone has the right to equal treatment and opportunities, and this includes employment and education. The European Year of Skills should be carried out in a way that is inclusive and actively promotes equality for all. The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan29 points out that by increasing participation of groups which are currently under-presented in the labour market, we can achieve a more inclusive employment growth and promote gender-sensitive initiatives and policies. _________________ 29 The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (europa.eu)
Amendment 73 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 8 a (new)
Recital 8 a (new)
(8a) In its resolution of 7 July 2021 on an old continent growing older - possibilities and challenges related to ageing policy post - 2020, the European Parliament stresses the importance of the creation of accessible, age-appropriate lifelong learning opportunities, and of intergenerational learning opportunities, for a better integration of older people, including online education, whether they are (still) part of the labour market or not. It also encourages the Member States to allocate appropriate spending from ESF+, the ERDF and the Just Transition Fund, for the training of older workers, ensuring equal access to public services, encouraging companies to keep and actively employ older workers, as well as adapting public infrastructure, including transport, as well as public spaces accommodating to the needs of all ages.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) As companies and other stakeholdworkers know best what skills are needed in their industrialto perform new jobs and tasks in their socio economic ecosystems ecosystems, strengthening their collective action on skills development has to be part of the solution. The Pact for Skills brings together companies, social partners, education and training providers, regional authorities, public employment services and other key skills stakeholders, both private and public. So far, more than 700 organisations have signed up and 12 large scale partnerships in strategic sectors have been set up, with pledges to promote 6 million training opportunities. The regional dimension is also important, including in border regions, where finding workers with the right skills requires targeted measures to support effective cross-border labour markets. Similarly, disadvantaged and remote regions, including the outermost, face particular challenges as access to the labour market and upskilling and reskilling opportunities are limited.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The Council Recommendations on Individual Learning Accounts34 and Micro- credentials for lifelong learning and employability35 help people to update or complete their skill-sets, also in response to emerging skills needs in the labour market,embark on and continue their learning pathways in a more flexible and targeted way. The Council Resolution from December 2021 on a new European Agenda for Adult Learning 2021-203036 promotes upskilling and reskilling that can in turn reduce skills mismatches and labour shortages. Skills“formal, non-formal and informal learning opportunities capable of providing all the necessary knowledge, skills and competences to create an inclusive, sustainable, socially just and more resilient Europe”. It emphasises that “adult learning, as an important part of lifelong learning, [...] is also important to provide the necessary conditions for people to be agents of change through the choices they make”. Learning guidance and skills self-assessment opportunities are among the measures which support people in their up- and reskillinglearning pathways. _________________ 34 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on individual learning accounts (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 26) 35 Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro- credentials for lifelong learning and employability (OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 10) 36 Council Resolution on a new European agenda for adult learning 2021-2030 (OJ C 504, 14.12.2021, p. 9)
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) The strengthened active labour market policies advocated for by the EASE (Effective Active Support to Employment) Commission Recommendation37 aim to support transitions into new employment amid the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and the better matching of skills in the labour market, supported by employment services with a sufficient administrative capacitycapacity building activities that not only include the labour market but also teaching and trainer staff levels who will teach the right skills and knowledge to the future workforce. _________________ 37 Commission Recommendation of 4.3.2021on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE) (OJ L 80, 8.3.2021, p. 1)
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12a) In its resolution of 5 July 2022 on mental health in the digital world of work, the European Parliament underlines that improving digital skills in the workplace or allowing for flexible working hours can help to mitigate work-related stress. It also expresses concerns that teleworking is not yet available to all workers and stresses the impact of the shift to teleworking on the mental health especially the risk of feeling isolation and exclusion, and the violation of the Right to Disconnect. It stresses the importance of fighting the digital divide in Europe and the necessity of retraining younger and older people in order to ensure a sufficient level of digital skills for all. It calls for more targeted investments in the provision of digital skills and access to digital tools, especially groups that are more digitally excluded such as people of a low socio-economic status and a limited educational background, older people, people in rural and remote areas and people with disabilities.
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12b) In its resolution of 19 May 2022 on establishing the European Education Area by 2025 – micro-credentials, individual learning accounts and learning for a sustainable environment, the European Parliament calls on the Council to adopt a common definition of micro- credentials and common standards for the European Education Area as a basis for quality assurance, recognition, transparency and portability. It also calls for the use of micro-credentials to recognise skills acquired in the course of learning mobility and civic-engagement, underscoring activities such as youth work, mentoring and volunteering. It reminds public authorities of their essential role in ensuring that those who are usually left behind find micro- credentials readily accessible and relevant, that there is balance in the skills training offered to adults, and points out that basic, transversal, psychosocial and soft skills are as important to the green and digital transitions as technical skills.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET)38 supports modernisation of VET systems to equip young people and adults with the knowledge, skills and competences they need to thrive in our society and the evolving labour market and society, to manage the recovery and the just transitions to the green and digital economy, in times of demographic change and throughout all economic cycles. It promotes VET as a driver for innovation and growth, which is agile in adapting to labour market changes and providing skills for occupations in high demand. _________________ 38 Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (OJ C 417 2.12.2020, p. 1)
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) Skills for thea just green transition and the upskilling and reskilling of the workforcesustainability learning will be needed in the context of the shift to a modern, resource-efficient, circular and competitive economy, as laid out under the European Green Deal39 setting the path towards EU climate neutrality by 2050. The Commission Communication “Fit for 55”40 recognises that the green transition can only succeed if the Union has the skilled workforce it needs to stay competcitizens standing strongly behind the green transitiveon and points to the flagship actions of the Skills Agenda to equip people with the skills that are needed for the green and digital transitions. In this twin transition, a new set of skills, from technical to so ones, that allow full participation in the economic activity and labour market but beyond that new culture needs to be developed also in the workplace by introducing significant changes in the way people interact, with each other, the environment and with technology. _________________ 39 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The European Green Deal (COM/2019/640 final) 40 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Fit for 55: delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality (COM(2021) 550 final)
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Attracting skilled third-country nationals canProviding and improving the EU labour migration framework could contribute to tackling the Union’s skills and labour shortages. In October 2021, the revised EU Blue Card Directive45 entered into force, a key achievement for attracting highly skilled talent into the labour market. The New Pact on Migration and Asylum46 also places a strongn emphasis on labour migration and on integration of third country nationals. Against this background, the Commission adopted a Skills and Talent Package47 in April 2022 to reinforce the legal framework and Union action in this area. Proposals to recast the Long- Term Residents Directive and the Single Permit Directive will allow to simplify the procedures for the admission of workers of all skill levels to the Union and provide with better protection and rights. The Commission will also continue to roll out an EU Talent Pool to facilitate labour matching with non-EU nationals with the involvement of social partners. The Commission is also working towards the launch of tailor-made Talent Partnerships with specific key partner countries to boost international labour mobility and development of talent in a mutually beneficial and circular way. Social partners must be involved in the development, implementation and monitoring of those Talent partnerships. In addition, the Union continues to be the leading contributor to global funding for education focusing especially on teacher training, girls education and vocational education and training. This work, under the umbrella of the Global Gateway strategy48 , is complementary to the objectives of this proposal. _________________ 45 Directive (EU) 2021/1883 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2021 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment, and repealing Council Directive 2009/50/EC (OJ L 382, 28.10.2021, p. 1) 46 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a New Pact on Migration and Asylum (COM/2020/609 final) 47 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Attracting skills and talent to the EU (COM/2022/657 final) 48 Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank The Global Gateway (JOIN/2021/30 final)
Amendment 141 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) Trust in and transparency of qualifications, whether acquired in Europe or beyond, is key in facilitating their recognition. EU transparency tools (European Qualifications Framework, Europass, EURES, ESCO, EU Skills Profile Tool for third country nationals, European Digital Credentials for Learning) are a starting point to help increase the transparency and comparability of qualifications. For well functioning labour markets, skills must be understood and valued, whether acquired in formal, non- formal or informal settings. Skills identification and documentation, as well as guidance to make skills visible, are crucial steps in this context.
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) Tailor-made expertise through the Commission’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) can help Member States undertake reforms linked to national or regional/public authorities strategies on skills, translating temporary EU funding into durable improvements in the available reskilling and upskilling opportunities. Mutual learning, facilitated by the Commission, can also support the process.
Amendment 162 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
In line with principles 1, 4 and 5 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, contributing to the objectives set out in the 2020 European Skills Agenda and the EU headline targets set by the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the overall objective of the European Year shall be to further promote a mindset of reskilling and upskilling thereby boosting competitiveness of European companies, in particular small and medium-sized entrepriseslifelong learning thereby ensuring the possibility of each learner to fulfil their personal development in light of the current societal challenges, boosting quality of living, health aspects as well as the competitiveness of the European society, realising the full potential of the digital and green transitions in a socially fair, inclusive and just manner, including through the right to adequate minimum wages, which ensures a decent standard of living. More specifically, the activities of the Year will promote skills policies and investments to ensure that nobody is left behind in democratic processes, the twin transition and the economic recovery, and to notably address labour shortages for a better skilled workforce and closing gaps in the skills and competences needed for the empowerment of adults in the Union that is able to seize the opportunities of this process, by:
Amendment 172 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
1. Promoting increased, more effective and inclusive investment into trainlifelong learning that supports, among others, upskilling and upreskilling, and training, to harness the full potential of the European current and future workforce and to support people in managing job-to-job transitions, active ageing, and benefiting from the new opportunities brought by the ongoing societal and economic transformation, especially supporting via targeted actions those most disadvantaged and with fewest opportunities to engage in lifelong learning and learning mobility opportunities.
Amendment 181 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2
2. Strengthening skills relevance by closely cooperating with social partners, civil society, public and private employment services, non-profit social service providers companies, education and training providers operating in formal, informal, non-formal learning environments, and developing joined-up approaches with all branches of governments operating at various levels (EU, national, regional and local) and among the different EU bodies and agencies considering the transversal nature of skills.
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
3. Matching people’s aspirations and skills-set with the societal challenges and opportunities, labour market opportunities especially those offered by the green and digital transitions and the core sectors in need of recovery from the pandemic. A special focus will be given to activate more people for the labour market, in particular women and young people especially those not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and provide incentives and better quality jobs matching women and young people’s skills, as well as persons with disabilities, marginalised groups and people living in remote areas.
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) Accessible conferences, forum discussions and further events to promote debate on the role and contribution of skills policies to achieve competitive,proficiency in basic skills, active citizenship for resilient democracies, holistic development of transversal competences required to address the existing societal challenges and further sustainable and fair economic growth, in light ofcluding adequately funded and accessible lifelong learning opportunities for all, on mental health and wellbeing, wages, on preventing poverty and in-work poverty, on enhancing, and on ensuring remuneration for traineeships to avoid exploitative practices, taking into account the demographic challenges, and to mobilise relevant stakeholders to ensure access to training is a reality on the groundn equal and fair access to all forms of learning and training (formal, non-formal and informal);
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) initiatives targetting inter alia individuals, companies, chambers of commerce and industry, social partners, public and regional authorities, education and training providers to promote the provision, financing and uptake of upskilling and reskilling opportunities, including paid, quality internships;
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) information, communication and awareness-raising campaigns building activities on EU initiatives for upskilling and reskilling, promoting their implementation and delivery on the ground and also their uptake by potential beneficiaries;
Amendment 222 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) increasing dialogue in existing stakeholder groups and networks, also via established online platforms; with tripartite advisory committees, European cross- sectoral and sectoral social partners in existing stakeholder groups and networks, also via established online platforms, at national, regional and local level, particularly boosting the Strategic Dialogue process over 2023, developing Stakeholder Fora connected to the flagship events of 2023, but also via new processes akin to civil dialogue to ensure that education and training stakeholders can meaningfully take part in policy and decision-making considering their expertise on the ground, their capacity to express learners’ needs and their close connection with different national and regional authorities responsible for the implementation of the education and training recommendations;
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) implementing and as necessary developing further skills intelligence tools, while promoting and disseminating their application in identifying current and future skills needs, particularly linked to the green and digitaljust transitions, the core sectors in need of recovery from the pandemic, energy crisis and the impact of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine;
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point g
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point g
(g) promoting the necessity to improve the validation systems and tools and instruments for increased transparency of qualifications, including qualifications awarded outside the Union, and the recognition, validation, and certification of those qualifications;
Amendment 234 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point h – point i (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point h – point i (new)
i) follow up of the Porto Summit to analyse how these actions are contributing to achieving the 2030 targets.
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 4 – paragraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1
The organisation of participation in the European Year at national and regional level shall be a responsibility of the Member States. To that end, each Member State shall appoint a national coordinator that can represent the different branches of government in a holistic manner. The national coordinators shall ensure the coordination of relevant activities at national and regional level. Member States shall ensure the involvement of their social partners civil society, learning and education providers in the activities at national and regional level.
Amendment 249 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 2
Article 5 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission shall rely on the expertise and assistance of relevant Union Agencies in implementing the European Year, in particular on synergies with the activities of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA).
Amendment 253 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall convene meetings of the national coordinators in order to coordinate the activities referred to in Article 3. These meetings shall also serve as opportunities to exchange information regarding the implementation of the European Year at national and Union level. Representatives of the European Parliament and relevant Union Agencies mayshall participate in those meetings as observers.
Amendment 254 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 5 – paragraph 4
Article 5 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall engage with social partners, civil society, learning and education providers labour market bodies, learners, and representatives of organisations or bodies active in the field of skills, education and lifelong learning to assist in implementing the European Year at Union level.
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a decision
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
By 31 DecemberMay 20245, the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the initiatives provided for in this Decision. Such report shall include: - an evaluation of the contribution that the EY of skills to achieving the 2030 target of achieving 60% of adults participating in training every year and an employment rate of at least 78% - a stock taking of how many women have participated/engaged in trainings in STEM and how many women have entered the labour market in those fields. - a stock taking of how many young people have found quality jobs that match their skills, how many have participating in up- or re-skilling trainings, and how many have participated in unpaid internships programs. - a stock taking of third country nationals entering the EU labour market and an evaluation of the tools for recognising the skills acquired in their home countries, as well as an overview of the sectors where they are participating in.