17 July 2026 – Ten new Regional Skills Partnerships have joined the EU Pact for Skills ecosystem, strengthening the local infrastructure needed to support upskilling and reskilling across Europe’s textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries.
The partnerships were developed with support from TCLF SkillBridge, METASKILLS4TCLF and AEQUALIS4TCLF and bring together industry, education and training providers, regional authorities and social partners. Their role is to translate European skills priorities into programmes adapted to the needs of individual industrial regions.
The new partnerships cover regions in several EU countries and add to the growing network of local alliances working on skills shortages, workforce renewal and the green and digital transition. Depending on regional needs, activities can range from developing specialised training and apprenticeships to improving cooperation between companies and education providers and supporting SMEs with access to upskilling opportunities.
This milestone also contributes to the broader ambition of the TCLF Pact for Skills: supporting around 300,000 adults in upskilling or reskilling every year by 2030, equivalent to roughly 20% of the ecosystem’s workforce.
For EURATEX, regional partnerships are essential because Europe’s textile ecosystem is highly diverse. Skills needs vary significantly between industrial clusters, and solutions are most effective when they combine European coordination with local knowledge. The new partnerships reinforce that model and create a stronger platform for cooperation between industry and education across Europe.