06/29/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/29/2026 11:43
The Council has approved a resolution that will guide EU-level cooperation in education and training until 2030.
The resolution on the second cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area (2026-2030) sets out the work programme for cooperation at EU level in the areas of education and training over the next five years.
It updates two resolutions approved by the Council in 2021 in relation to the strategic framework and its governance structure.
Throughout this semester, the Cyprus presidency has focused on fostering future-ready education and training systems with learners and teachers at the heart. Today's agreement on the European Education Area underscores our shared commitment: by investing in foundational and digital skills, citizenship education and lifelong learning, we are investing in Europe's future, its resilience, prosperity and competitiveness. After all, strategic autonomy begins with empowered citizens and strong education.
Dr Athena Michaelidou, Minister for Education, Sport and Youth, Republic of Cyprus
The resolution approved today maintains the Council's ambition of achieving the European Education Area (EEA), with a view to fostering greater collaboration among EU countries in the area of education and training.
In its resolution, the Council puts the focus on preserving the current governance structure of the EEA. It continues to stress the need for a holistic approach to education and training that enables the full potential of individuals and society to be realised. Moreover, it calls for the strategic framework to operate in synergy with the Union of Skills where relevant.
The resolution includes an updated set of six strategic priorities in the field of education and training:
The resolution includes the list of EU-level targets in the area of education and training, which have been grouped for the first time in one document.
The European Education Area (EEA) fosters collaboration among EU countries in the area of education and training, with the aim of building more resilient, inclusive and future-ready national education and training systems. The EEA's strategic framework structures collaboration between EU member states and relevant stakeholders. It also sets out EU-level education targets to be achieved by 2030.
The Council's resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021-2030), approved in February 2021, indicated that the Council would review the strategic framework - including EU-level targets, governance structure, and working methods - on the basis of an evaluation report on the European Education Area (EEA) provided by the Commission in 2025.