EU Social Forum 2025: Addressing Europe’s Skills and Labour Challenges
07/03/2025
EARLALL participated in the third edition of the European Employment and Social Rights Forum (EU Social Forum), held on 5-6 March 2025 in Brussels. EARLALL has been a consistent presence since the Forum’s inception three years ago, underscoring its commitment to shaping Europe’s employment and social policies.
This year’s Forum, organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), focused on the pressing challenges of rising labour and skills shortages across Europe amidst declining productivity. The event served as a platform for opinion leaders, policymakers, businesses, academics, and civil society to discuss strategies for aligning skills development with economic and societal needs.
The EU Social Forum 2025 featured a series of insightful discussions and keynotes addressing the future of skills and employment in Europe. Mario Nava, Director-General of DG EMPL, opened the event by emphasizing the need to boost sustainable prosperity, competitiveness, and social rights. He highlighted the rapid transformations in the world of work and stressed the importance of equipping individuals with adaptable skills to navigate these changes effectively.
During a fireside chat, Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland, underscored the crucial role of investment in education and continuous learning, particularly in the era of digital transformation. She pointed out a growing disparity, where some sectors actively reskill their workforce while others struggle with limited access to training opportunities.
Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn, brought attention to the evolving nature of talent recruitment. He argued that the traditional focus on degrees and past job titles is becoming outdated, advocating instead for a skills-based approach to hiring that creates greater opportunities for workers.
From a legislative perspective, Li Andersson, Chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, stressed the need for an ambitious skills agenda. She emphasized that Europe’s competitiveness should be built on skills and technological advancement rather than wage reductions, warning against approaches that fail to support long-term workforce resilience.
On a national level, Niki Kerameus, Greece’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, presented Greece’s efforts in reskilling and upskilling its workforce. She highlighted that 10% of the active workforce is being trained in digital and green skills through dual training programs that combine study and work experience.
The Forum also hosted a panel discussion on investing in people and modern labour markets, where Celeste Drake, Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organization, addressed concerns about job displacement. She noted that while AI is unlikely to cause mass layoffs, it is reshaping the job market by augmenting existing roles and creating new categories of work that require updated skills.
These discussions reinforced the urgency of investing in lifelong learning and fostering a skills-based economy to ensure Europe’s workforce remains competitive and adaptable in an era of rapid technological change.
Launch of the Union of Skills
A significant milestone of the Forum was the launch of the “Union of Skills,” presented by Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness at the European Commission. This initiative aims to empower individuals across the EU with the necessary skills to succeed in their educational and professional lives, ensuring Europe’s competitiveness and inclusivity. (Read further here).
The second day, held on 6 March, focused on parallel discussions exploring various aspects of Skills for a Competitive Europe. A key session examined strategies for boosting adult learning through Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs), highlighting France’s successful implementation of this model. Manuela Geleng, Director for Jobs and Skills at DG EMPL, emphasized the crucial role of social partners and stakeholders in making ILAs effective, stressing the importance of aligning them with national and regional contexts. She also highlighted social dialogue as a mechanism to encourage employers to contribute to these accounts, ensuring broader access to lifelong learning opportunities. Another discussion delved into developing hidden talents, focusing on how Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) help disadvantaged groups build their skills and access the labor market. The day also provided a platform to showcase success stories from the European Social Fund (ESF), including the impactful work of Fundación Secretariado Gitano (Roma Spanish Network) in promoting education and employment opportunities for marginalized communities. These discussions underscored the importance of inclusive and sustainable skills development policies to address labor market challenges across Europe.
EARLALL, alongside representatives from its network and other civil society organizations in the education and training sector, advocate for the inclusion of regional and local authorities, as well as civil society organizations, in future dialogues on Skills for a Competitive Europe to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to skills development.
The Forum concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders to collaborate in building a resilient and skilled European workforce capable of navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing global landscape.
