Single Article - The Association of European Vehicle Logistics

European auto industry champions policies for future-proof workforce at skills strategic dialogue

ACEA — 2025-02-13

News from Brussels

Securing quality jobs, delivering on skills and training, and ensuring a thriving, competitive European vehicle industry were all at the top of the agenda at today’s Strategic Dialogue meeting.

The people that build and innovate our vehicles have always been key to the global success of our industry. At today’s Strategic Dialogue Technical Working Group led by Commissioner Minzatu we addressed the importance of the substantial skills transition our industry is undergoing as we shift towards zero-emission technology.

“The European automotive industry does not exist in a vacuum and is part of a complex societal construction employing more than 13 m Europeans across the value chain,” stated Sigrid de Vries, Director General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). “We have a responsibility to ensure that the ‘skills and social’ pillar is at the forefront of the Strategic Dialogue Action Plan to sufficiently equip workforces for the zero-emissions transition and make Europe an attractive location for global talent.”

That’s why at today’s Working Group, we called for:

establishing an Automotive-Mobility Ecosystem Academy;
enhancing EU-wide best practice sharing to boost labour transformations;
conducting regional labour force analysis of the automotive value chain;
promoting micro-credentials and learning systems;
developing a robust sectoral skills intelligence system;
reforming EU state aid rules and funding programs;
integrating skills and training into relevant EU research programmes, such as Horizon Europe; and
facilitating EU funding for apprenticeships and education programmes that focus on zero-emission technologies.