On 16 September 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual State of the Union Address (SOTEU) before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, outlining the Commission’s priorities for the year ahead. Building on the “Europe’s independence moment” presented in 2025, this year’s address focused strongly on turning ambition into delivery. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, global competition and rapid technological change, the President called for a Europe that is more secure, competitive and capable of reducing strategic dependencies.
For education employers, the address comes at an important moment. While education was not among the dominant themes of the speech, the Commission’s focus on competitiveness, skills, technological transformation and resilience has direct implications for Europe’s education and training systems.
Competitiveness and independence at the centre of the EU agenda
Strengthening Europe’s capacity to act independently remained the central thread of the address. This encompasses security and defence, economic competitiveness, technological capacity, energy, resilient supply chains and Europe’s role in the world. Competitiveness remains particularly high on the agenda. Europe must strengthen its capacity to innovate, invest and develop strategic technologies while responding to demographic change and persistent labour and skills shortages. Artificial intelligence and technological sovereignty form an increasingly important part of this agenda. The challenge is not only to develop European technological capacity, but also to ensure that Europe has the people and skills necessary to use new technologies effectively and responsibly. This places education and training within a much broader European discussion about economic resilience and Europe’s future capacity to compete.
Skills as a foundation for European competitiveness
The direction set out in SOTEU reinforces the importance that the Commission has placed on human capital and skills over the past year. Through the Union of Skills, the EU is seeking to address skills and labour shortages while strengthening basic skills, STEM education, vocational education and training (VET), lifelong learning and the recognition and portability of qualifications. The Commission increasingly describes investment in education and skills as an essential component of European competitiveness and resilience.
The first conclusions of the European Skills High-Level Board, published in July, also called for stronger links between businesses, education and training providers and regional authorities. Importantly for European social partners, they highlighted the need for stronger social partner involvement in developing regional and sectoral skills ecosystems. For education employers, however, responding to changing skills needs cannot simply mean placing additional demands on education and training systems. It requires sufficient capacity, investment and support for the institutions and professionals expected to deliver these ambitions.
Education Package
SOTEU 2026 also comes ahead of an important milestone for European education policy: the Commission’s Education Package, expected in November 2026. The package is set to address three major challenges facing European education systems.
First, basic skills. Declining performance in literacy, mathematics, science, digital skills and citizenship is increasing pressure for action at both European and national levels. Strong basic skills are essential both for educational success and for social inclusion, active citizenship and participation in a rapidly changing labour market.
Second, the forthcoming EU Teachers Agenda will address teacher shortages, working conditions, career development and the attractiveness of the profession. With recruitment and retention challenges affecting education systems across Europe, this will be particularly important for education employers.
Third, the Commission is preparing new action on digital education and AI, including digital education infrastructure. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education and work, the challenge will be to harness its potential while preserving human agency, inclusion and quality, and strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty.
What does this mean for education employers?
For EFEE, SOTEU 2026 reinforces a fundamental message: Europe cannot deliver its ambitions for competitiveness, resilience and strategic independence without strong and sustainable education and training systems. This means recognising education as an investment rather than a cost. Ambitious European objectives on skills, digitalisation and competitiveness must be matched by adequate investment in education institutions and their workforce. It also means tackling teacher shortages through a comprehensive approach. Recruitment alone will not be enough. Greater attention must be paid to leadership, retention, initial training and professional development, working conditions, well-being and attractive career pathways. Digital transformation presents a similar challenge. Investment in technology must go hand in hand with investment in people. School leaders, teachers, trainers and other education personnel need the skills, time and organisational support required to integrate AI and digital technologies in ways that improve education. Finally, social dialogue must remain central to educational reform. Education employers and trade unions bring first-hand knowledge of the realities facing education institutions and their workforces. Their meaningful involvement is essential to ensure that European ambitions translate into reforms that are workable, sustainable and responsive to the needs of education systems.
From European ambition to education-system capacity
The 2026 State of the Union makes clear that the Commission sees Europe’s future through the lens of greater independence, competitiveness and resilience. Education and skills are an important part of the foundations on which these ambitions depend. As attention now turns towards the November Education Package and the continued implementation of the Union of Skills, EFEE will continue to advocate for quality education, sustainable investment, attractive education professions and meaningful social dialogue, ensuring that education employers have a voice in shaping the policies that Europe’s education systems will be expected to deliver.