The Commission is currently implementing an Action Plan on labour and skills shortages of 20 March 2024[1]. The action plan sets out 87 actions or commitments that the EU, Member States and social partners will or should take to tackle these shortages.

It contains a call to Member States to develop policies to attract and retain nurses through improving working conditions and mentoring young professionals, with the support of the EU4Health Programme .

The collection of data for a survey on the health professionals’ mental health was carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) with EU4Health funding, and its results are planned to be published in October 2025. The WHO will then develop a set of proposed policy actions to protect the mental health of the health workforce, planned for publication before the end of 2025[2].

The Commission’s Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment[3] is mapping various approaches to ensuring safe staffing levels in healthcare.

The Commission also helps Member States, including France, in seizing opportunities from the digitalisation of health systems. Among others, the European Health Data Space initiative[4] aims to establish a common framework for the use and exchange of electronic health data.

T hrough the European Semester, t he Commission provides country-specific policy advice to support health system reforms , including those related to the health workforce. Substantial EU funding[5] is available to support skills development programmes[6] and planning and forecasting tools[7].

I n the context of the Union of Skills[8] and its Skills Portability Initiative, the Commission will explore common rules for recognising the qualifications of third-country nationals, and thus facilitate the integration of non-EU workers into the EU labour markets, including in the healthcare sector.

The forthcoming Quality Jobs Roadmap will support progress on the various dimensions of job quality in the evolving world of work.

Last updated: 23 June 2025