A new skills agenda for Europe

With the right skills, people are equipped for good-quality jobs and can fulfil their potential as confident, active citizens. In a fast-changing global economy, skills will to a great extent determine competitiveness and the capacity to drive innovation. They are a pull factor for investment and a catalyst in the virtuous circle of job creation and growth. They are key to social cohesion, but the situation in Europe calls for improvement. Many Europeans lack adequate reading, writing, numeracy and digital skills, with an increased risk of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion.