Skip to content
DRAFT OPINION (COM(2023)0716 – C90413/2023 – 2023/0404(COD))

On the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an EU Talent Pool

DEVE-PA-758160

Committee on Development · Rapporteur: Tomas Tobé

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

The draft opinion welcomes the EU Talent Pool proposal, stressing it should complement development cooperation and support Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 10. It calls for the Talent Pool to be transparent, non-discriminatory, accessible to all skill levels, and to provide information on development opportunities and return assistance. It asks that the Talent Pool comply with Policy Coherence for Development and that its impact on developing countries be monitored.

Committee position. The Committee on Development proposes amendments to the Commission proposal to ensure the Talent Pool aligns with development objectives, is accessible to all skill levels, and includes provisions on information and monitoring.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the Commission proposal for an EU Talent Pool as complementing EU efforts on migration and contributing to SDG 8 and SDG 10.
  2. Stresses that the Talent Pool should be voluntary, with 11 to 20 Member States expected to join by 2030.
  3. Calls for the IT platform to be simple, with transparent and non-discriminatory criteria allowing all skill levels, and easy access to information.
  4. Requires that information on skills development and vocational training from development programmes be available to jobseekers.
  5. Emphasizes that the Talent Pool should discourage irregular migration by facilitating legal pathways, and provide information on return and reintegration assistance.
  6. Mandates that the Talent Pool comply with Policy Coherence for Development, and that the Commission consider its impact on EU development objectives in reviews.
  7. Adds that the Talent Pool should contribute to SDGs and Policy Coherence for Development in its implementation.
  8. States that strong partnerships with third countries are a precondition for effective migration schemes, and that participation in Talent Partnerships should not affect decisions on joining the Talent Pool.
  9. Requires jobseekers to declare they are not subject to entry bans, with consequences for false declarations.
  10. Requires employers to provide information in understandable language, including official languages of third countries in Talent Partnerships, and prohibits recruitment fees.
  11. Requires platform information in official languages of participating Member States and, where appropriate, of third countries in Talent Partnerships.
  12. Requires EU Delegations to support information provision and feed monitoring, and the Steering Group to consult stakeholders including from third countries.

Who is affected

  • Jobseekers from third countries: benefit from easier access and information, but must declare no entry bans.
  • Employers: must provide information on rights and obligations, and cannot charge recruitment fees.
  • EU Delegations: support information provision and feed into monitoring.
  • Developing countries: impacts to be monitored, and information on return assistance to be provided.

Figures and deadlines

  • Between 11 and 20 Member States expected to join by 2030.
  • By 31.12.2031 and every five years thereafter, the Commission shall report on the Regulation's application.

Legal basis: Article 208 TFEU