EPR Participates in Consultations on the Upcoming EU VET Strategy

EPR Participates in Consultations on the Upcoming EU VET Strategy

As part of the Union of Skills (published in March 2025), the European Commission announced the development of an EU Strategy on Vocational Education and Training in order to increase its attractiveness, excellence and inclusiveness, expected by 2026.

On 12 February 2026, EPR participated in a Strategic Dialogue meeting organised by the European Commission on the VET Strategy. In the meeting, the European Commission seeked to gather stakeholders’ input on the content and potential actions that should be included in the strategy. 

Moreover, on 19 February 2026, EPR provided written input to a call for evidence* organised by the European Commission on the upcoming EU VET Strategy. In its position, EPR acknowledged key barriers experienced by persons with disabilities when it comes to VET and accessing employment: 

• A lack of inclusion in education and skills development initiatives for people with disabilities can prevent them to finding a job and actively participate in society; 
• Non-linear educational and career paths due to accessibility and health reasons, and having alternative qualifications gained through vocational rehabilitation/ VET becomes a barrier for persons with disabilities to compete in the open labour market; 
• Persons with disabilities are increasingly experiencing a digital skills gap;
• Service providers have experienced difficulties in educating and changing employers’ mindsets regarding hiring people with disabilities; 
• Challenges in ensuring employment stability; 
• Accessibility barriers in the built environment.

EPR also underlined that service providers of vocational rehabilitation and VET also experience numerous challenges, including staff shortages of trained professionals, issues with staff retention and recruitment, insufficient digital skills training of professionals, shortages of long-term sustainable funding.

Therefore, EPR’s priorities for the VET Strategy included: 

• Mainstreaming disability inclusion and accessibility across all VET Strategy actions; 
• Enhancing the quality of VET programmes; 
• Fostering the improvement of working conditions and skills of professionals in the VET sector; 
• Considering the potential of supported employment schemes in the VET Strategy to enhance VET outcomes and pathways to employment; 
• Evaluating the potential of Work Integration Social Enterprises;
• Studying the opportunities of Inclusive Job Redesign and Customised Employment.

* The definition of “call for evidence” is available at the EPR Knowledge Hub Glossary of key EU policy terms, here.

More information on the Call for Evidence of the VET Strategy available here.

EPR input to the Call for Evidence of the VET Strategy available here.