The New Skills Agenda for Europe
28.4.2016
Question for written answer P-003459-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Emma McClarkin (ECR)
The New Skills Agenda for Europe, expected to be launched in June 2016, has not yet undergone full-scale public consultation. Given the potential impact of, amongst other things, a revised EU Qualifications Framework on competitiveness, plus the Agenda’s overarching aim of addressing employability, mobility, growth and competitiveness issues, this is of concern.
Can the Commission therefore:
- —provide a list of all consultations on the New Skills Agenda that have so far taken place and details of addressees?
- —explain why an exhaustive public consultation on the package as a whole has yet to take place?
In addition, according to the Commission’s own Better Regulation guidelines (2015), impact assessment is required for Commission initiatives that are likely to have significant economic or social impacts, and should be carried out for both legislative and non-legislative initiatives. This is done in order to verify the existence of a problem, identify its underlying causes, assess whether EU action is needed, and analyse the advantages and disadvantages of available solutions.
Can the Commission therefore explain why it has chosen not to undertake a wide-ranging impact assessment on the New Skills Agenda proposals?