Boosting skills in the Union – opportunities for vocational education and training in times of transition
Parliament sets out its own position on a topic. The resolution is not binding but signals what Parliament wants.
Where it stands: Parliament adopted the text on 21 October 2026. This is its final position on the matter.
- ✓ Referred to committee 18 June 2026
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 1 October 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 6 October 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 21 October 2026
- ✓ Parliament’s position Final
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The adopted resolution is Parliament’s final position; it is not itself law.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- EMPL — Employment and Social Affairs
- Rapporteur
- Brigitte VAN DEN BERG Renew
- Shadow rapporteurs
- Angelika WINZIG PPERomana JERKOVIĆ S&DMargarita DE LA PISA CARRIÓN PfEMariateresa VIVALDINI ECRBenedetta SCUDERI Verts/ALELi ANDERSSON The Left
- For opinion
- CULT — Culture and Education · rapporteur Laurence FARRENG RenewFEMM — Women’s Rights and Gender Equality · rapporteur Lina GÁLVEZ S&D
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: The new version drops the call for an individual right to training for workers, available during working time and at no cost. It adds an explanatory statement and a committee letter setting out arguments on VET's value, skills shortages, learner mobility, funding and teacher shortages. The other changes are formal or presentational: decimal commas, split recitals, punctuation and a heading placed on its own line. see the changes →
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary: The new version adds many calls on the Commission and member states: to address negative perceptions of VET, make it inclusive, extend academic support to VET learners, involve VET actors in policymaking and establish a VET diploma. It adds measures on recognition and mobility, including a Skills Portability Initiative, expanded ENIC and NARIC networks, skills partnerships with non-EU countries, digital credentials, regional pilot areas and a recognition convention. It replaces the recitals with new ones on fundamental rights, skills shortages, the Draghi report, teacher well-being, gender gaps, mobility barriers, the Copenhagen Process and dual systems. It adds a letter from the Committee on Culture and Education with its own recitals and suggestions on VET. The other change is formal: the instruction to forward the resolution is removed from one place. see the changes →
Committee opinions: Draft opinion (FEMM),Opinion (FEMM)
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Plenary stage
- 21 October 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 504 Against 63 Abstained 99
Final vote — text as a whole at 13:49 · 76% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
Show all 6 ballots in voting order
RejectedRejected3. Separate vote on paragraph 29AdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded4. Separate vote on paragraph 29Rejectedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded5. Separate vote on paragraph 29Not put to a vote, because an earlier vote already settled the matter.A vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded6. Final vote — text as a whole 13:49 A10-0259/2026 – Brigitte van den Berg – Motion for a resolution (as a whole)Adopted - 20 October 2026 Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
- 14 October 2026 2 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
- 6 October 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 1 October 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 10 September 2026 FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 14 July 2026 Committee opinion adopted
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 22 June 2026 Amendments tabled in committee
Members of EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
- 18 June 2026 Referred to the EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; CULT (Culture and Education), FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality) give an opinion.
- 10 June 2026 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.