State of the Union (SOTEU 2025) – What lies ahead for learners across secondary education, VET and apprenticeships?

Each year, the President of the European Commission holds the State of the Union (SOTEU) speech, reflecting on past achievements, current challenges and future aspirations. In doing so, the Commission President showcases to the European Parliament and MEPs what is their strategic vision and how will that further define the EU’s priorities.

On the 10th of September, the current Commission President – Ursula Von der Layen, was welcomed at the European Parliament seat in Strasbourg and gave her first State of the Union Speech under her current mandate. 

As OBESSU, we work closely with institutions in ensuring that school students and student unions are engaged and represented across a variety of EU initiatives. Thus, we use the opportunity provided by this process and dive into the different areas and streams covered within SOTEU. What lies ahead and how can it impact realities for students and learners across Europe or even beyond the region?

A Promising Foundation: Acknowledging the Commitments

First of all, as OBESSU we welcome the European Commission’s forward-looking agenda following SOTEU speech and related communication (DG COMMs, SOTEU “From promise to progress“). Since the beginning of the year, it has been well established that the vision aims towards a more competitive and democratic Europe, leading to an increasing focus on skills and youth.

While the vision itself demonstrates a promising and meaningful comitment, we have to yet define the way – choose a path leading to sustainable and long-lasting impact. A way built on more concrete, holistic, and learner-centred approaches. We nevertheless applaud the Commission for several key announcements that signal a strong investment in Europe’s young people, focusing on their engagement and further empowerment. Namely, we welcome: 

• The landmark proposal to increase the Erasmus+ budget by 50%, a move that will significantly enhance opportunities for studying abroad, volunteerism, and civic participation.

• New opportunities, through the proposed AgoraEU programme, designed to support the creative sector and promote our fundamental rights and shared values

• The strategic emphasis on STEM education, with a noteworthy focus on increasing the participation of female students.

• The continuation of Youth Policy Dialogues, which create vital platforms for young people to engage directly with EU decision-makers.

Bridging the Gaps: More Progress Is Needed

While we recognise the positive aspects, we must also be honest and address the areas where the current strategy falls short. As the voice of school students, we see critical gaps between the stated ambitions and the actions needed to achieve them.

1. From Vision to Action: Where are the Concrete Plans for Schools?

The address presents clear goals, yet the references on how they will be implemented remain vague, particularly for school education and Vocational Education and Training (VET). A focus on higher-level skills is insufficient without a strong foundation.

We need a clear implementation plan with actionable details on how Member States will be supported to modernize secondary school curricula and provide targeted teacher training in key areas like digital literacy and critical thinking.

2. Reclaiming Lifelong Learning: Beyond Economic Outcomes

The current lifelong learning narrative seems to focus primarily on economic outcomes and generating income. This narrow view overlooks the profound value of learning for personal growth, cultural enrichment, and active civic engagement. 

EU programmes should rather promote and reinforce the recognition of intergenerational and cross-border exchanges, the value of informal learning experiences that advance quality of life and social integration, even if they do not lead to immediate employment.

3. A Skills Divide(?): The False Distinction Between the Workforce and the Citizens

The Commission’s approach appears to treat occupational and democratic skills as two discrete categories. The focus on AI, STEM, and vocational skills is siloed from initiatives on participation and democratic competencies like media literacy.

This creates a false divide, but in a world full of fake news and complex problems, we need both! Thus, we would strongly advice a shift towards a more holistic view where workforce skills and civic competencies are seen as intertwined and mutually reinforcing. We need to be ready to become both successful professionals and be strong defenders of democratic values.

Reskilling people across Europe must not and doesn’t have to miss the opportunity to reinforce our democratic life. 

4. Strengthening Democracy: Empowering Civil Society

A vibrant democracy depends on more than institutions; it requires a thriving, independent civil society. While we support the focus on protecting democracy, the crucial role of civil society organisations, including student unions, and the need for their sustainable funding was unfortunately not addressed.

Civil Society plays a key role in shaping the way forward, safeguarding democracy and futher promoting of European values across the different communities and people throughout Europe. 

Constructing Europe’s Future – With and for Learners

The State of the Union has set the stage, yet to truly move from promise to progress, as OBESSU we hope and look forward to building true, inclusive and meaningful channels of cooperation with European institutions.

Together, we can ensure a path which leads towards a more inclusive and learner-centred Europe. That would include:

• Adopting a broader vision of lifelong learning that fully integrates global citizenship education and civic engagement into all educational pathways.

• Providing concrete and actionable plans for systemic educational reforms that support teachers and modernize school curricula for all students.

• Champion a holistic skills agenda that recognises the inseparable link between the skills needed for a competitive economy and those required for a resilient democracy.

• Support for Civil Society & Student Unions: Student unions and other youth organizations are vital for democracy, but we often struggle for funding. We need solid financial support to keep our voices heard and keep democracy strong!

We are ready to engage, collaborate, and help shape a future where every learner is empowered not only to find their place in the economy but also to actively shape and be part of our shared European democracy. It’s time to shift our focus, turning promising visions into a meangful real-life journey for every student.