Commission report finds labour and skills shortages persist and looks at possible ways to tackle them

Commission report finds labour and skills shortages persist and looks at possible ways to tackle them

The Commission's Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) report 2023 reveals that despite the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulting in an economic slowdown in the second half of 2022, EU labour markets have demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2022. The EU economy grew by 3.5% in real terms in 2022. Employment rates were at a record high at 74.6% with 213.7 million people employed in 2022, and unemployment rates at a historic low at 6.2%.

However, the report also finds that challenges remain with a low labour market representation of certain groups, such as women or persons with a disability. Youth unemployment fell from 16.7% in 2021 to 14.5% in 2022, but remains a major challenge. In addition, companies face labour shortages and there is the need for both employers and workers to adapt to evolving skill needs, in the context of the green and digital transitions. (...)