Commission proposes rules for mutual recognition of short training courses

Within Europe, a growing number of citizens need to update their knowledge, skills and competences to fill gaps between their formal education and the needs of a fast-changing society and labour market. The recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to accelerate the green and digital transitions also requires individuals to upskill or reskill.

As such, the European Commission has unveiled proposals to encourage the EU Member States to establish EU-wide principles for giving accreditation to short training courses. The aim is for each citizen to have a record of any short courses they complete and for these qualifications to be recognised across institutions, businesses, sectors and borders. In addition to calling on the Member States to establish common definitions and standards to enable such records, the European Commission is asking them to set up ‘digital wallets for training entitlements’ that can be accumulated and spent on training. As such, people would be able to accumulate these entitlements and use them throughout their careers.

Different stakeholders can be providers of micro-credentials but currently their role differs massively. The courses themselves come in different formats, from online and face-to-face learning, and can be stand alone, or in modules.

The new principles seek to support life-long learning, in a bid to give Europeans the skills needed for the EU’s green and digital transitions. The new approach is intended to contribute towards the EU’s target of having 60% of all adults take part in training every year by 2030, as it moves forward with the green and digital transition. Today, the EU is far from reaching this goal. In 2016, only 37% of European adults participated in annual training, with small growth rates registered in previous years. Asked what the biggest barrier to training is, 89% of Europeans cite high costs, while 82% say they have a lack of awareness, as well as uncertainty over whether employers would recognise their achievements.

The proposals will now land in the hands of the Member States which are expected to settle on the final non-binding policy recommendations.