At an event held in Strasbourg, Vice-President of the European Parliament, Victor Negrescu, marked the official launch of the first European Parliament Intergroup dedicated to future of education and skills, an important initiative by the Romanian MEP and three other Co-Chairs that brings together over 100 Members of the European Parliament interested in promoting the importance of education and vocational training as strategic priorities for the European Union. On this occasion, the members of the intergroup called for the creation of a European plan dedicated to education and skills, worth 20% of the future post-2027 long-term EU budget.

A strategic investment for Europe's future

"Investing in education is not just a moral responsibility, but also an economic necessity. Without a European plan dedicated to education and skills and a solid financial commitment, we risk not being able to provide young Europeans with the tools they need to face the challenges of the future. Therefore, I propose allocating 20% of the future EU budget to education and skills so that Europe can meet the demands of a competitive global economy, ensure quality education for all, improve access to educational services, and reduce inequalities in this domain", stated Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the intergroup.

The need for significant increases in European funding for education

Statistics show that education and skills training currently receive an average allocation of about 8% per year in the 2021-2027 multiannual budget. For example, in 2025, about 6% of the EU budget was allocated to education alone, equivalent to around 12 billion euros from an annual budget of 200 billion euros. Additionally, MEP Victor Negrescu highlighted that he managed to secure 10% of funds dedicated to national recovery and resilience plans for education. In this context, on his initiative, the intergroup will propose an increase in funding to at least 40 billion euros per year in the next long-term European budget to support continuous training, digitalization, and innovation in education, as well as investments in educational infrastructure.

The Draghi report highlights Europe's skills gap: a quarter of European companies face difficulties in finding suitable employees, and half report moderate difficulties. The Letta report also emphasizes the importance of investing in education to reduce regional disparities and increase Europe's competitiveness.

A call for a more competitive Europe through education

The Intergroup on the Future of Education and Skills for a Competitive Europe will work with education experts and institutional actors to promote policies that facilitate equitable access to quality education. The intergroup's priorities include:

• Creating a European investment framework for education and skills;
• Increasing funding for Erasmus+;
• Simplifying access to funding for educational programs;
• Supporting a unified skills framework, similar to the European Single Market;
• Investing in educational infrastructure and continuous training.

"Without solid education and an efficient training system, Europe will not be able to meet the challenges of the future. Investments in education must be viewed as a driver of economic development and innovation. We need an integrated strategy that focuses on digital skills, supporting teachers, and equitable access to quality education. We call for a firm commitment from all decision-makers to make education a real priority within the European budget", concluded MEP Victor Negrescu.

The launch of the intergroup is a crucial step in supporting education at the European level and prioritizing investments aimed at reducing educational disparities, continuous vocational training, and ensuring Europe's economic competitiveness in the coming years. The event included speeches by Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Intergroup, Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Eleonora Meleti, EPP Coordinator in the FEMM Committee and Co-Chair of the Intergroup, Brigitte van den Berg, Co-Chair of the Intergroup, Nela Riehl, Chair of the CULT Committee and Co-Chair of the Intergroup, as well as representatives from The Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP) and The European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE), who offered perspectives from the education and employer sectors.