EU social partners report on improving skills matching, our contribution

27 / 04 / 2026

As part of the EU Social Partners' Integrated Projects of the European Social Dialogue, Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini contributed to the report Improving skills matching in Europe, which is now available online.

Commissioned by the European social partners (BusinessEurope, ETUC, SGI Europe and SMEunited), the study explores how social partners can play a stronger role in addressing labour and skills shortages across Europe, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for both workers and employers in a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Its key findings informed the drafting of the European social partners' recommendations.

The FGB research team included Liga Baltina, Head of the Labour Market & Skills Research Unit; Terence Hogarth, Professor at the Institute for Employment Research, University of Warwick, and member of FGB's scientific committee; and Giulia Martorana and Marina Ferent-Pipas, Officers at the Labour Market & Skills Research Unit.

Combining a literature review, a survey of 94 social partner organisations, in-depth case studies in 12 countries, and stakeholder consultations, the study covered the follwoing key areas:

the role of social partners in shaping national skills systems, including their involvement in skills intelligence, policy design, and qualification frameworks;
social partner engagement in workplace practices, particularly in improving recruitment and addressing skills mismatches at company level;
upskilling and reskilling strategies, especially in response to changing skill demands driven by the green and digital transitions, as well as efforts to support workforce retention.

Read the full report