The ETF’s policy advice service

The ETF provides 'information, policy analyses and advice on human capital development issues', as laid out in our mandate, to support our partners, within the policy making cycle, towards sustainable reforms of education, training, and labour market systems. Under the new ETF strategy 2021-27 the provision of tailor-made policy advice, upon request, is one of ETF’s three main services, the other two being the ‘knowledge hub’, and ‘ policy monitoring and assessment’ services.

Join our LinkedIn Live “Policy Advice: new ideas for achieving sustainable reforms" to hear more from our experts at 15:00 CET, Tuesday, 16 March 2021.

What does ETF advise upon?

The ETF provides policy advice within eight projects, as part of the 2021 Work Programme, for sustainable reforms of education, training, and labour market systems: skills demand; active labour market policies; modernisation of qualification systems; vocational excellence provision models; innovative teaching and learning; engaging enterprises in skills development; lifelong learning policies and system change; and, quality assurance and governance.

Who are the beneficiaries?

We propose policy advice and analyses to a wide range of stakeholders in EU neighbouring countries involved in human capital development, including government ministries, social partners, and civil society organizations.

We offer input to EU policy monitoring mechanisms in education, training and employment providing advice to the European Commission, European External Action Service, European Council, European Parliament as well as to other EU bodies on issues within our mandate, for example, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

The ETF supports policy dialogue between the European Commission and partner countries by providing input to bilateral subcommittee meetings as a result of our policy monitoring, to the Economic Reform Programme between the Western Balkans and Turkey for education and training in the social sector, and the European Neighbourhood Policy action plans, and drawing upon wider human capital developments within the Torino Process.

How is ETF’s policy advice shaped?

The ETF’s policy advice is based on evidence and knowledge generated internally or in cooperation with our external partners to address the needs of partner countries identified through consultation with stakeholders and policy monitoring processes and mapping of policy measures. It is also shaped by the European Union’s policy priorities and those of the EU’s external relations.

Our work is informed by the Green Deal , the European Skills Agenda, the European Pillar on Social Rights, the Pact for Skills,  the Vocational Education and Training Recommendation; the Digital Education Action Plan within the European Education Area, Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, and Digital Competence Framework for Educators; and the EU Industrial Strategy, amongst others.

How does ETF update policy advice?

We are continuously working to deepen and update our expertise. Our specialist staff are actively engaged in specialist thematic and international fora, including networks at academic and practitioner levels, to keep abreast and informed of the latest developments to improve our policy advice service.

In addition, we are working within institutional partnerships and international networks to create synergies and facilitate the mutual exchange of knowledge on evidence-based policy making in partner countries, and the sharing of best practice. Working relationships have een developed with international organisations such as the ILO, UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, the Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, EBRD, EIB, IFC, the Council of Europe, the World Bank, and the OECD. We also have institutional agreements with regional organisations, for example, the Regional Co-operation Council for South Eastern Europe and ERI SEE in South Eastern Europe.