The European Education Area

September 30, 2020
The European Education Area seeks to foster cooperation between European Union (EU) Member States to further enrich the quality and inclusiveness of national education and training systems. The European Education Area ties in with Next Generation EU, the EU's COVID-19 recovery plan to lead the Union out of the crisis and towards a modern and more sustainable Europe fit to face the digital and green transitions. It aims to develop a holistic approach to EU action in education and training to create a genuine European space of learning, which benefits all learners, teachers and institutions.

The idea to create a European Education Area was first endorsed by European leaders at the 2017 Social Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden. The first packages of measures were adopted in 2018 and 2019.
EUNEC organized a conference on the EEA, in Spring 2019 already, in Sèvres (Paris), and published statements, that have been sent to the European Commision.
In her Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2019-2024, Commission President von der Leyen committed to making the European Education Area a reality by 2025.
A new Commission Communication on Achieving the European Education Area by 2025 was published on 30 September 2020.
The Commission’s vision for a European Education Area is guided by six dimensions:
• Quality
• Inclusion and gender equality
• Green and digital transitions
• Teachers and trainers
• Higher education
• Geopolitical dimension
On 18 February 2021, the Council approved the Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030). (see also point 2.4.2)
On this basis, the Member States agree to the following seven EU-level targets to be reached:
• Low achieving 15-year-olds in basic skills: The share of low-achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%, by 2030.
• Low achieving eight-graders in digital skills. The share of low-achieving eight-graders in computer and information literacy should be less than 15%, by 2030.
• Participation in early childhood education and care. At least 96% of children between 3 years old and the starting age for compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education and care, by 2030.
• Early leavers from education and training. The share of early leavers from education and training should be less than 9%, by 2030.
• Tertiary level attainment. The share of 25-34 year-olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 45%, by 2030.
• Exposure of VET graduates to work based learning. The share of recent graduates from VET benefiting from exposure to work-based learning during their vocational education and training should be at least 60%, by 2025.
• Participation of adults in learning23 At least 47% of adults aged 25-64 should have participated in learning during the last 12 months, by 2025.