A European Commission report published on 10 July 2026 finds that Member States have met one of three EU-wide quantitative targets set by the 2020 Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) and nearly met a second, while a third target on learner mobility remains far from reach. The report, based on national implementation plans and monitoring by Cedefop, assesses progress five years after the recommendation's adoption and identifies persistent structural, financial and cultural barriers that limit VET's potential to address labour shortages and support the green and digital transitions.
60% of VET learners exposed to work-based learning – reached at 66.0% in 2025; 82% employment rate for VET graduates aged 20-34 – reached 80.2%, close but not met; and 8% of VET learners participating in mobility abroad – stood at 2.1% in 2021, far below. A new 12% target for 2030 reached 5.3% in 2023. All Member States except Czechia and Ireland prepared National Implementation Plans.
Cross-cutting barriers include fragmented responsibilities across ministries, insufficient skills intelligence systems, rigid curricula, capacity constraints for teachers and trainers, and reliance on EU funding without long-term national provision. For 2021-2027, Erasmus+ allocates EUR 400 million for Centres of Vocational Excellence; ESF+ contributes EUR 40.4 billion and ERDF EUR 8.6 billion for education and training. Stereotypes persist: 70% of OECD interviewees believe VET is "simply about manual work"; 75% of EU residents say general education has a more positive image than initial VET.
The report's findings imply trade-offs. On the positive side, meeting the work-based learning target shows that Member States have prioritised practical training, benefiting employers who gain skilled workers and learners who acquire job-ready competencies. The near-miss on the employment target suggests VET is broadly effective in integrating graduates into the labour market, supporting social fairness and competitiveness. However, the mobility target's persistent failure – despite a new 2030 target – indicates that structural and financial obstacles remain severe, limiting cross-border learning opportunities and the European dimension of VET. The reliance on EU funds without sustained national budgets raises questions about long-term sustainability, potentially affecting taxpayers who ultimately finance these programmes. For VET providers, rigid curricula and teacher capacity constraints hinder adaptation to fast-changing labour market needs, particularly in green and digital sectors. The cultural stigma against VET, highlighted by the OECD survey, undermines efforts to attract learners and could perpetuate skills shortages in technical professions.
The report is addressed to the Council and is expected to inform future EU policy on VET, including possible revisions to the 2020 recommendation or new initiatives under the European Education Area. The European Parliament and stakeholders may use the findings to push for stronger national commitments and increased funding.
EU producers and employers benefit from improved work-based learning but face skills gaps in areas where VET is underperforming; EU learners gain from higher employment prospects but miss out on mobility opportunities; EU taxpayers fund substantial EU contributions (EUR 49 billion from ESF+ and ERDF) with uncertain long-term national follow-through; VET institutions struggle with rigid curricula and teacher shortages, limiting their ability to respond to green and digital transitions.