A new position paper published by Ceemet highlights the importance of improving the portability of skills and qualifications across Europe to strengthen labour mobility and industrial competitiveness.
The paper, “Skills Portability: A Step Closer to the Single Labour Market,” responds to the Commission consultation aimed at establishing a Skills Portability Initiative later in 2026 in the scope of the Fair Mobility Package. Ceemet welcomes the initiative in principle, emphasising that easier recognition of skills (regardless of where they were acquired) could help address persistent skills shortages in Europe’s metal, engineering and technology (MET) industries.
Skills shortages remain a major challenge
According to Ceemet, the lack of adequately skilled workers continues to be one of the most significant obstacles facing companies in the sector. Enhancing the portability and recognition of skills across EU Member States could help companies recruit more efficiently and support the development of a successfully integrated European labour market. Ceemet also notes that facilitating mobility within the EU could improve the attractiveness of Europe for highly skilled workers from third countries.
Fixing the problem without complicating the solutions
While supportive of the initiative’s objectives, Ceemet stresses that the practical benefits for companies are yet to be proven. In particular, Ceemt warns that any new initiative should avoid introducing additional administrative burdens for employers.
The paper highlights the need for clarity on how a new system would interact with existing EU tools, including the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), ESCO (European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations), Europass, and the future EU Digital Identity Wallet. In addition to existing and potential overlaps, Ceemet argues that implementation of these tools is currently uneven across Member States.
As Europe faces growing geopolitical and economic pressures, Ceemet underlines that a stronger EU market for skills is essential. Making skills easier to recognise and transfer across borders will help tackle labour shortages and secure the long-term competitiveness of Europe’s manufacturing industries.