2 April 2026
The European cross-industry social partners have published a new set of joint recommendations on improving skills matching in Europe, marking the outcome of a dedicated joint project carried out over the past year.
The project brought together national members of ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe and SMEunited, as well as EU-level sectoral social partner organisations, and was supported by an independent study based on surveys and interviews. It aimed to take stock of current challenges in skills matching across Europe, identify common priorities and build a shared understanding between employers and trade unions on how to address persistent labour shortages, skills mismatches and transitions in the labour market.
The initiative also forms part of the broader efforts to strengthen European social dialogue, in line with the Council Recommendation on social dialogue and the renewed Joint Procedures adopted by the cross-industry social partners. In this context, the project contributes to improving trust, reinforcing cooperation and clarifying the role that social partners can play in shaping EU and national skills policies.
Against the backdrop of accelerating structural changes, including the green and digital transitions, demographic developments and evolving labour market needs, the project highlights the importance of better aligning education, training and labour market systems. It also reflects the shared interest of social partners in ensuring that skills policies remain responsive, inclusive and grounded in real economic and sectoral needs.
The recommendations presented in the publication build on this joint analytical work and provide a common reference point for future discussions at European and national level, with social dialogue as a key driver for more effective skills matching across Europe.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
In its Special Report on the single market for services published on 25 March, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) concludes that Commission action to remove barriers to cross-border services is still insufficient.
While some measures have been taken to further integrate the market for services, auditors believe that the Commission lacks a clear, ambitious strategy and relies too heavily on infringement procedures, often failing to act promptly. Moreover, businesses still lack access to complete and reliable information, and the Commission itself does not have adequate sector-specific data to effectively monitor existing barriers.
According to the audit, businesses still face significant challenges when operating across borders due to differing national authorisation and certification requirements, which make the provision of services in other Member States too costly and complex.
The report also notes that the Commission’s 2025 Single Market Strategy is not ambitious enough and it relies on tools that have already been used in the past and that are unlikely to deliver meaningful results. Additionally, the Commission has not regularly fulfilled its obligation to report to the co-legislators on the implementation of the Services Directive.
To address the existing issues, the ECA calls for a more robust, evidence-based strategy, clearer legislation, and stronger enforcement focused on high-impact cases. It also urges the Commission to make a better use of existing tools such as SOLVIT and the Points of Single Contact, alongside improved monitoring systems. Finally, it suggests a more active use of the European Semester and funding conditionalities under the next MFF to tackle existing barriers and to incentivise Member States to carry out the necessary reforms.
Contact: Raquel Carro-Andollo
On 26 March 2026, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) released a toolkit on gender-neutral job evaluation and classification, which was presented during a dedicated webinar together with EU stakeholders and experts.
The EIGE toolkit is created to provide guidance on how to assess the value of work based on objective criteria such as skills, effort, responsibility and working conditions. It aims to support organisations in identifying potential biases in how different roles are valued, including across sectors and occupational categories.
The launch of the toolkit takes place in the context of the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive (EU) 2023/970, which reinforces the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value. The Directive highlights the importance of gender-neutral job evaluation and classification systems and foresees that Member States make available tools and methodologies to support employers in applying these concepts in practice, including through EU-level guidance. In this context, the EIGE toolkit forms part of the broader set of instruments accompanying the implementation of the Directive.
SGI Europe recognises the value in providing concrete tools that can support social partners in navigating the technical complexities of gender-neutral job evaluation, while also underlining the importance of ensuring that such tools remain proportionate, clear and adaptable to different national systems and social dialogue frameworks.
SGI Europe will continue to follow the developments related to the implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive.
Contact: Astrid Nordberg
On 30 March 2026, the European Commission approved the draft Commission Notice providing guidance on the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR). This regulation, which entered into force on 11 February 2025, is scheduled for mandatory application across all Member States starting 12 August 2026. The primary objective of the PPWR is to harmonize the regulatory framework for packaging within the Union, ensuring the internal market functions efficiently while mitigating the environmental and health impacts of packaging waste.
The guidance document was developed to address the legal and technical complexities inherent in the new framework. It specifically targets provisions where there is an evident margin of legal discretion. For more granular or technical inquiries, the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) will publish and maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.
The approval of this draft follows a comprehensive consultation process. Member States provided input during a Technical Adaptation Committee on Waste meeting on 13 October, and further refinements were made following a meeting of deputy permanent representatives on 5 March 2026. Internally, the Commission launched an Inter-Service Consultation (ISC/2025/11154) on 3 December 2025, which concluded on 9 December 2025. The process included feedback from multiple departments, such as GROW, TRADE, SANTE, and AGRI.
The implementation of these guidelines is particularly significant for providers of Services of General Interest (SGI) active in the waste sector and municipal waste management. As these entities are responsible for the practical collection and processing of packaging waste, the clarity provided by the Commission is essential for operational planning and infrastructure alignment.
While the Commission has approved the content of the draft Notice, the guidelines will not become officially applicable until the document is formally adopted. This final step will occur once the guidance is available in all official languages of the European Union. The approved text is currently attached as an Annex to the Communication to be found here.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
The European Commission has tabled targeted amendments to the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), alongside preparing a broader crisis response as energy markets react to geopolitical tensions.
On the ETS, the Commission proposes to adjust the functioning of the MSR to improve market stability and predictability in a context of heightened price volatility. The central change would suspend the automatic invalidation of allowances exceeding the 400 million threshold. Instead, these allowances would be retained as a reserve buffer, allowing the system to respond more flexibly to future supply constraints. According to the Commission, this adjustment would reinforce the resilience of the ETS while maintaining its market-based nature and its role in supporting decarbonisation and investment. The proposal will now be examined by the European Parliament and the Council, with a broader revision of the ETS framework expected in July 2026.
In parallel, EU energy ministers convened informally to assess the impact of the ongoing Middle East crisis on energy markets. Prices have increased significantly since the start of the conflict, with gas rising by around 70% and oil by 60%, adding an estimated €14 billion to the EU’s fossil fuel import bill. While security of supply remains stable for now, ministers stressed the need for coordinated EU action to address price pressures and avoid fragmented national responses.
Discussions focused on managing volatility, ensuring timely gas storage refilling, and preserving the integrity of the internal energy market. The Commission is expected to present shortly a toolbox of targeted and temporary measures, including support for power purchase agreements and contracts for difference, as well as expanded use of state aid. At the same time, it is preparing contingency options for a more prolonged crisis, drawing on past instruments while underlining that current conditions may not warrant comparable intervention.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
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