A report from the European Commission to the Council, published on 14 July 2026, assesses Member States' implementation of the 2020 Council Recommendation on vocational education and training (VET) for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. The report covers reforms and measures taken up to 2025, finding that while two of three EU quantitative targets for 2025 were met or nearly met, VET mobility remains far behind, and persistent structural and cultural barriers continue to hinder modernisation.
agile adaptation to labour market changes, flexibility and progression, innovation for digital and green transitions, attractiveness through modern training, equality of opportunity, and quality assurance. Three EU quantitative targets were set for 2025: work-based learning exposure (60% target reached at 66.0% in 2025), employment of VET graduates aged 20-34 (82% target nearly reached at 80.2% in 2025), and VET mobility (8% target far from reached at 2.1% in 2021; a new 12% target set for 2030, with 5.3% in 2023).
The report identifies cross-cutting challenges including fragmented governance across ministries, insufficient skills intelligence, rigid curricula, capacity constraints for teachers and trainers, reliance on EU funding, and persistent stereotypes that VET is less valued than general education. These issues have limited the pace and depth of reforms in many Member States.
The report informs the forthcoming European strategy for VET, announced in the Union of Skills communication of 5 March 2025. The Herning Declaration on attractive and inclusive VET 2026–2030 and the upcoming European strategy will form the new EU VET policy framework post-2025.
VET providers and learners benefit from increased work-based learning opportunities and improved employment outcomes, but mobility remains low, limiting cross-border learning experiences. Employers gain from a more skilled workforce, but face challenges in adapting training to rapidly changing labour market needs. National authorities must address governance fragmentation and invest in skills intelligence, often relying on EU funding, which may not be sustainable. The persistent cultural undervaluation of VET affects its attractiveness, requiring continued efforts to change perceptions.
The Commission will use the report to shape the upcoming European strategy for VET, expected to be presented in the coming months. The Council is expected to discuss the findings and provide guidance for the next phase of VET policy.