The European Commission has launched its Skills Guarantee Pilot, a long-awaited initiative that directly responds to trade union demands for robust, publicly supported training for workers facing industrial transformation. The pilot, part of the new Union of Skills, is a major political step toward an EU-wide Skills Guarantee Scheme under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

This first pilot focuses on automotive workers and their supply chains, many of whom are at risk of unemployment due to electrification and restructuring. With a total budget of €14.5 million, the initiative funds 24-month transnational projects worth €2.5–3 million each, with 80% EU co-financing.

A political opening for trade unions

IndustriAll Europe has consistently called for anticipatory measures that protect workers through quality training instead of leaving them to bear the cost of industrial change. The Skills Guarantee Pilot offers exactly that:

• Social partners can lead projects,
• Consortia must include at least three organisations, including a regional or national authority,
• Projects must bring together actors from at least two Member States, including companies, training providers, and public employment services.

This structure reflects a clear political recognition that worker participation and collective bargaining are essential to a fair transition.

Why affiliates should engage

Strong union participation will not only deliver real training opportunities for workers today, it will also help secure a much broader Skills Guarantee fund in the next MFF (2028–2035). This is a chance to shape the EU’s long-term approach to skills, restructuring, and industrial policy.

Key dates

• Call open: 27 November 2025 – 29 January 2026
• Start date: June 2026

A training session on how to apply will be organised in mid-December. 

More information

ESF-SI-2025-SKILLS-GUARANTEE-01 – SI+