The European Commission adopted earlier this month, two proposals for Council Recommendations – both part of the flagship actions announced in the European Skills Agenda and the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan – on individual learning accounts and on micro-credentials, aiming at supporting the EU-level target of 60% of all adults taking part in training every year by 2030.

Acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the need for reskilling and upskilling of workforce to adapt to the changing labour market and meet demand in different sectors, these two proposals will help tackle these challenges by supporting the creation of more opportunities for people to find learning offers and employment opportunities.

The Individual Learning Accounts proposal addresses the main bottlenecks for people embarking on training today - motivation, time and funding, putting the individual directly at the centre of skills development.

The micro-credentials proposal, on the other hand, seeks to unify approaches by supporting the creation of a common definition of micro-credentials and key principles for their design and issuance.

A big step to including more people in learning and training opportunities, the two proposals will be negotiated with Member States and once adopted by the Council, the Commission will support Member States in implementing them, enabling EU citizens in a period where developing their skillset is of great importance.

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