On 5 March 2025, the European Commission presented the Union of Skills, an overarching strategy aimed at strengthening skills and competences across the European Union and addressing persistent skills shortages affecting European enterprises.

For many years, the metal, engineering and technology (MET) industries have consistently emphasised the need for an education and training system that is better aligned with the needs of businesses. Our sectors are increasingly facing a shortage of skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This situation has been exacerbated by the growing demand for ICT (information and communication technology) skills driven by the digital transition. It is further complicated by the green transition, which is reshaping production processes and product design and requires the acquisition of new skills. Against this backdrop, MET employers have welcomed the Union of Skills initiative, which aims to address these various challenges. This roadmap contains various strategies and tools to address the skills shortage. However, these EU actions must respect the principle of subsidiarity and should not aim at creating a right to training at the EU level. They should rather support the diversity of sectoral training systems.

Indeed, MET employers firmly believe that a Union of Skills is more effective if it relies on non-binding recommendations, and it can generate significant added value by encouraging social partners to take action at the national or company level.

The right to training is already implemented – by law or collective agreements – in certain EU Member States such as France or Italy, and access to training is already recognised by the EU as a fundamental right. Rather than creating a new right, in reality, there is an urgent necessity to establish training systems that are more effective and responsive, capable of addressing labour market demands and facilitating timely adaptation to technological innovation and the green transition.

This document provides Ceemet’s opinion on the right to training and puts forward a series of recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of European training systems and a stronger participation rate in training.