National policy developments

This section provides information on policy developments in the EU, Iceland and Norway. Cedefop monitors and analyses the developments on priorities in vocational education and training (VET) that have been agreed within the process of European cooperation in VET since 2002 (known as the Copenhagen Process). It produces synthesis reports and country specific information to show how these priorities have been implemented by the countries. The findings of the latest report Enhancing European cooperation in VET: outcomes of the Riga cycle. Progress in common priorities for 2015-20 have been presented at a joint Cedefop – ETF conference in June 2020 and informed discussions of policy makers to set priorities for VET beyond 2020.

Since 2022, Cedefop has been monitoring and analysing policy developments in line with the mandates received in:

• the Recommendation on vocational education and training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, adopted by the Council of the European Union on 24 November 2020 and
• the Osnabrück Declaration on vocational education and training endorsed by ministers in charge of vocational education and training from EU Member States, Candidate Countries, EEA-EFTA (European Economic Area – European Free Trade Association) countries, European social partners and the European Commission on 30 November 2020.

Cedefop analyses the VET national implementation plans that Member States prepare, it follows up on their implementation to support policy making in VET in the countries and provides evidence to the European Commission in the context of the European semester.

To collect the most recent information, Cedefop organises surveys addressed to Cedefop’s European network of expertise on VET (ReferNet) collects information from the Directors General for Vocational Education and Training (DGVT) and complements this information with its own monitoring, research and analyses on the progress of the European tools and instruments (such as EQF and NQFs, validation and recognition of prior learning, quality assurance, lifelong guidance) and available studies on topics such as apprenticeships, VET teachers and trainers, and upskilling pathways.