This paper, jointly prepared by Cedefop and the ETF, aims to inform the next steps in VET policy-making at EU level, including the Osnabruck declaration expected to be discussed by ministers in the autumn of 2020. It puts forward key challenges and opportunities for VET which have emerged from the intelligence, research and evidence collected over the years by the two agencies, each within its own remit and geographic scope.

This discussion paper supports the idea that, in light of the future trends and the changing world of work, the emphasis of VET policy also needs to change. While further developing initial VET (IVET) should remain an essential aim, European policy needs to strengthen the focus on advancing continuing VET (CVET) to meet the economic and societal challenges of the next decade.