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In line with Principle Nos 1, 4 and 5 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, contributing to the objectives set out in the European Skills Agenda and the Union headline targets set by the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, the overall objective of the European Year of Skills shall be to further promote a mindset of reskilling and upskilling in accordance with national competences, law and practice. By further promoting the mindset of reskilling and upskilling, the European Year of Skills shall aim to boost the competitiveness of Union undertakings, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and to contribute to the creation of quality jobs, with a view to realising the full potential of the green and digital transitions in a socially fair, inclusive and just manner, thereby promoting equal access to skills development and reducing inequalities and segregation in education and training and contributing to continuous learning and career progression, empowering people to access quality jobs and to fully participate in the economy and society. More specifically, the activities of the European Year of Skills shall promote skills policies and investments to ensure that nobody is left behind in the green and digital transitions and the economic recovery and, in particular, to address labour shortages by closing gaps and skills mismatches for an empowered workforce and society, able to seize the opportunities of the green and digital transitions, by:

(1) promoting increased, more effective and inclusive investment at all levels, inter alia, by public and private employers, in particular by SMEs, into all forms of reskilling and upskilling, education and training to harness the full potential of the current and future workforce in the Union, including to support people in managing job-to-job transitions, active ageing, and benefiting from the new opportunities brought by the ongoing economic transition;

(2) strengthening skills relevance and provision by closely cooperating with, and promoting cooperation among, cross-sectoral and sectoral social partners, public and private employment services, undertakings, civil society entities, not-for-profit social service providers and education and training providers, and by developing joined-up approaches with all branches of government at Union, national, regional and local level and by facilitating the recognition of skills and qualifications;

(3) matching people’s aspirations, needs and skills-set, including the skills acquired during mobility, with labour market needs and opportunities, especially those offered by the green and digital transitions, emerging new sectors and core sectors in need of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that a particular focus is given to integrate more people in the labour market, in particular women and young people, especially those not in employment, education, or training (NEETs), low-skilled persons, older workers, persons with disabilities, people from disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds, people living in remote areas and in the outermost regions, as well as displaced people from Ukraine;

(4) attracting people from third countries with the skills needed in Member States, by promoting learning opportunities, including, where necessary, language education and training, skills development and mobility, and by facilitating the recognition of qualifications.