Source: European Parliament
The Commission acknowledges the importance of strengthening vocational education and training (VET) systems in the EU and improving professional and social mobility.
Regarding European criteria in national training frameworks, the 2018 Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships[1] aims to ensure that apprenticeships meet minimum quality requirements. It also refers to enhancing opportunities for mobility of apprentices.
In addition, the Council Recommendation Europe on the Move[2] (2024) provides policy guidance on apprentice mobility. Finally, the Commission supports Member States and stakeholders through the European Alliance for Apprenticeships in establishing quality apprenticeships and enhancing the mobility of apprentices.
On the link between VET and higher education, the recent Union of Skills communication[3] stresses the importance of strengthening VET programmes.
This includes addressing the challenges of fragmented national training offers and supporting smoother transitions between VET and higher education, in line with the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience[4], which emphasises the importance of modular VET curricula to support smoother transitions for learners to higher education.
These objectives will be reinforced by the forthcoming EU VET Strategy. The Commission is also exploring the launch of a European VET diploma to support mobility and the recognition of learning outcomes across borders.
Furthermore, the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) Users’ guide, which is currently being revised, will also address VET, where relevant.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2018_153_R_0001.
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C_202403364.
- [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A52025DC0090.
- [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2020_417_R_0001.