site.btaEC Executive Vice-President Minzatu Says European Citizens' Skills, Education Must Be Improved to Move Green Transition Forward

European Commission (EC) Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Roxana Minzatu said Monday that the green transition is no longer a matter of desire or choice, of naivety or of some minority cause, but a question of whether the European Union will remain competitive. She attended the Green Transition Forum 5.0: Powering Up Competitiveness and Innovation in the CEE Region, which took place at Sofia Event Centre.

In her words, people very often see transition as a moment when they might lose something. She added that European citizens may indeed lose something, such as some of their old habits, but at the same time they may gain the type of competitiveness Europe needs.

Minzatu stressed the importance of skills and education, adding that this will give European citizens what they need to move forward in the transition.

The EC's Executive Vice-President pointed out that the digital generation actually lacks basic digital skills, with a third having trouble covering a basic level of maths. She pointed to the importance of upskilling and adapting to new jobs and in this regard noted the EC's Union of Skills initiative. The skills of both young and old need to be improved, Minzatu underlined.

She stressed that without investment in skills and education, the EU will not be able to innovate and make the green transition successfully. Minzatu highlighted the importance of investing in capital markets and their integration, in defence, but most of all in people - they need to be protected by getting the right skills regardless of age or labour market situation.