The European Pillar of Social Rights (2017, Gothenburg) sets out 20 key principles and rights essential for fair and well-functioning labour markets and social protection systems.
The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan turns the Principles into concrete actions to benefit citizens. It also proposes headline targets for the EU to reach by 2030.
Education ministers met on 19 February 2021 through video conference to discuss how to best address persisting challenges in equal access, inclusion and educational success for all in education and training. The Presidency informed ministers on efforts towards the establishment of the new framework for European cooperation in education and training until 2030, including the achievement of the European Education Area. The presidency also informed ministers on its initiative to launch an online platform facilitating data sharing between the member states on coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in education and training.
The presidency also informed ministers on a Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030).
The priorities of Portugal's presidency are driven by its motto: ‘Time to deliver: a fair, green and digital recovery’.
The presidency programme focuses on five main areas, which are in line with the goals of the EU’s strategic agenda:
• strengthen Europe’s resilience;
• promote confidence in the European social model;
• promote a sustainable recovery;
• speed up a fair and inclusive digital transition;
• reaffirm the EU’s role in the world, ensuring that this is based on openness and multilateralism.
For the ninth consecutive year, the Education and Training Monitor gathers a wide range of evidence to indicate the evolution of national education and training systems across the European Union.
The report measures countries’ progress towards the targets of the Education and Training 2020 (ET 2020) strategic framework for European cooperation in these fields. It also provides insights into measures taken to address education-related issues as part of the European Semester process.
The Monitor offers suggestions for policy reforms that can make national education and training systems more responsive to societal and labour market needs.
Furthermore, the report helps to identify where EU funding for education, training and skills should be targeted through the EU's next long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
The Monitor comprises a cross-country comparison and 27 in-depth country reports.
Commissioner Mariya Gabriel announced the 2020 Education and Training Monitor at the DigiEduHack conference on 12 November 2020.
The 2021 Commission work programme sees a shift from strategy to delivery across all six political priorities. It confirms the Commission's resolve to lead the twin green and digital transition – an unparalleled opportunity to move out of the fragility of the crisis and create a new vitality for the Union.
In several priorities, there is a direct reference to education and training.
The European Education Area seeks to foster cooperation between European Union (EU) Member States to further enrich the quality and inclusiveness of national education and training systems.
The European Education Area ties in with Next Generation EU, the EU's COVID-19 recovery plan to lead the Union out of the crisis and towards a modern and more sustainable Europe fit to face the digital and green transitions.
It aims to develop a holistic approach to EU action in education and training to create a genuine European space of learning, which benefits all learners, teachers and institutions.
The Communication on the DEAP was launched on the same day the Commission launched the Communication on the European Education Area. At the same time, the DEAP is presented as one of the actions under the EEA.
The Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027) outlines the European Commission’s vision for high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe.
Education at a Glance is the authoritative source for information on the state of education around the world. It provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems across OECD countries and a number of partner economies. More than 100 charts and tables in this publication provide key information on the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across countries; access, participation and progression in education; the financial resources invested in education; and teachers, the learning environment and the organisation of schools.
On 23-26 May 2019, more than 200,000,000 voters in 28 EU countries went to the polls to elect the members of the European Parliament. The new president of the Parliament is David Sassoli (Italian Partito Democratico). He is elected for a period of 2.5 year.
They in turn voted on 16 July 2019 to elect Ursula von der Leyen as president of the European Commission. She put a team together based on nominees from national capitals - commissioners-designate - whose competence and abilities MEPs examined in a series of parliamentary committee hearings from September to November 2019. On 27 November 2019, the European Parliament approved the new European Commission headed by Ursula von der Leyen.
Mariya Gabriel (Bulgaria) will be responsible for education, within a larger portfolio (Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth).
The four priorities were presented by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at a conference entitled ‘A strong Europe in a world of challenges’, held on 30 October 2019 in the National and University Library, the central venue of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union:
- A Europe that develops
- A Europe that connects
- A Europe that protects
- An influential Europe.
