This policy brief summarises evidence from Cedefop’s and ETF’s monitoring and analysis of 2021-25 policy developments in national implementation plans (NIPs). Since 2021, about 500 measures, policies and initiatives have been launched across the EU-27, Norway and Iceland (EU-27+), and five candidate countries (CCs) to create agile and flexible, excellent and inclusive, attractive and quality-assured VET systems. Countries have built on ongoing reforms, national strategies for VET, skills, youth and employment, as well as reform programmes under the European Semester and Recovery and Resilience Plans.

The policy brief highlights current practices and signals future policy directions in alignment with the latest EU-level policy initiatives.