EU chief names labour gaps as key stumbling block to competitiveness

Labour shortages are the most significant bottleneck for competitiveness, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, calling for better access to jobs for young people, women and qualified migrants. "Millions of parents – mostly mothers – are struggling to reconcile work and family, because there is no childcare.

Labour shortages are the most significant bottleneck for competitiveness, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, calling for better access to jobs for young people, women and qualified migrants.

"Millions of parents – mostly mothers – are struggling to reconcile work and family, because there is no childcare. And 8 million young people are neither in employment, education or training. It is ... one of the most significant bottlenecks for our competitiveness," she told the European Parliament.

"Because labour shortages hamper the capacity for innovation, growth and prosperity. So we need to improve access to the labour market. Most importantly for young people, for women. And we need qualified migration," she said.