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In her political guidelines of July 2024, Commission President von der Leyen proposed a STEM education strategic plan, related to the Union of Skills, a key initiative from 2024 to 2029. The President highlighted not only the lack of qualified teachers in areas linked to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but also the aim of attracting more girls and women into STEM education and careers.

Poverty has many dimensions. Following recent crises, not least the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, some of poverty's known dimensions have evolved while new forms have emerged. Addressing poverty remains mainly the responsibility of EU countries' governments acting in complex national social settings. The EU meanwhile seeks to coordinate Member States' efforts and offers support in the form of funding and data. The new European Commission is stepping up efforts to meet the EU's ...

Vocational education and training (VET) prepares people for work by developing their specific practical skills as well as transversal competences, for both personal advancement and to meet the needs of the economy. The EU labour market, reflecting industrial and societal developments, in particular the digitalisation of production processes and service provision, faces growing shortages of workers with adapted skills. During the February session, MEPs will debate with the Commission and Council how ...

During its February plenary session, Parliament is due to debate a Commission statement on the need to address urgent labour shortages and ensure quality jobs in the EU healthcare sector. The EU faces critical shortages in healthcare workers, driven by an ageing population, increasing demand and difficult working conditions.

On 14 October 2024, EU legislators adopted a new directive on platform work. The directive introduces the presumption of employment – to be applied following national rules – as well as the first EU rules to regulate algorithmic management in the workplace. The new rules will apply from 2 December 2026. Platform work is an umbrella concept covering a heterogeneous group of economic activities completed through a digital platform. Platform workers' rights are not enshrined in EU labour law and this ...

Drawing attention to migrants' human rights and highlighting their contribution to society, International Migrants' Day is observed every year on 18 December. The day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 4 December 2000 in response to growing migration numbers around the world.

Agricultural workers have a significantly higher fatality and accident rate compared to other sectors in Europe, facing various health hazards and physically demanding tasks. They are also more likely to experience stress and have higher suicide rates. During the December plenary session, the Parliament is due to hold a debate on 'Challenges facing EU farmers and agricultural workers: improving working conditions, including their mental well-being', following a statement by the Commission.

The integration of migrants and refugees into the labour market remains a critical challenge for EU countries. This study reviews recent academic research on effective policies to remove the barriers that hinder migrant integration in host countries. The study identifies nine key integration challenges, discusses existing evidence and provides policy implications. This document was provided by the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies at the request of the Committee ...

The EU and its Member States have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and use its definition of disability as a common reference at EU level. There is no other harmonised definition of disability in the EU. The recent introduction of the Global Activity Limitation Instrument indicator (GALI) in most of Eurostat's social and economic surveys offers the opportunity to have a clearer assessment of disability in the EU than before. It confirms that in 2023 the prevalence ...

This study provides details of the current situation and future trends in the EU concerning aspects related to skills demands, skills shortages, and skills mismatches. It takes into consideration the transformative role of the digital and green transitions and the labour market shifts determined by demographic changes. The analysis comprises a presentation of the various EU skills initiatives, assessing their impact, complementarity and gaps. And formulates a set of recommendations to address gaps ...