The MASTERY consortium and contributing organisations from seven EU Member States have submitted a joint response to the European Commission's consultation on the Skills Portability Initiative (Action 1).
The response draws on a survey of practitioners from 14 organisations across Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, including VET providers, higher education institutions, public authorities and industry associations.
The core message: the EU already has the right policy architecture for skills portability. What is missing is sector-specific implementation, particularly for green and circular economy competences increasingly acquired through workplace experience and non-formal learning. 82% of respondents identified documenting work experience as the single most difficult step in cross-border qualification processes.
The MASTERY consortium puts forward five recommendations for EU action:
1. Accelerate sector-specific VNFIL implementation for green and circular skills, funding pilots in sub-sectors like construction, waste management and circular manufacturing.
2. Extend fast-track mutual recognition to green and circular skills in critical sectors, building on the sectoral logic of Net-Zero Industry Academies.
3. Accelerate ESCO updates for emerging green and circular job profiles through a dedicated review track with a shorter update cycle.
4. Build digital credential infrastructure on the existing Europass/EDC architecture, lowering barriers for smaller providers and avoiding competing wallet systems.
5. Create pathways for micro-credentials endorsed by Pact for Skills partnerships, CoVE networks and Skills Alliances to gain cross-border recognition.
Download the executive summary and the full consultation response with detailed proposed measures.
The Commission's consultation is open on the Have Your Say portal.
The MASTERY consortium and contributing organisations from seven EU Member States have submitted a joint response to the European Commission's consultation on the Skills Portability Initiative (Action 1).
The response draws on a survey of practitioners from 14 organisations across Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, including VET providers, higher education institutions, public authorities and industry associations.
The core message: the EU already has the right policy architecture for skills portability. What is missing is sector-specific implementation, particularly for green and circular economy competences increasingly acquired through workplace experience and non-formal learning. 82% of respondents identified documenting work experience as the single most difficult step in cross-border qualification processes.
The MASTERY consortium puts forward five recommendations for EU action:
1. Accelerate sector-specific VNFIL implementation for green and circular skills, funding pilots in sub-sectors like construction, waste management and circular manufacturing.
2. Extend fast-track mutual recognition to green and circular skills in critical sectors, building on the sectoral logic of Net-Zero Industry Academies.
3. Accelerate ESCO updates for emerging green and circular job profiles through a dedicated review track with a shorter update cycle.
4. Build digital credential infrastructure on the existing Europass/EDC architecture, lowering barriers for smaller providers and avoiding competing wallet systems.
5. Create pathways for micro-credentials endorsed by Pact for Skills partnerships, CoVE networks and Skills Alliances to gain cross-border recognition.
Download the executive summary and the full consultation response with detailed proposed measures.
The Commission's consultation is open on the Have Your Say portal.