The 20th Subcommittee meeting on Education and Culture, Research and Innovation Policy, Information Society and Media, and Social Policy and Employment under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and North Macedonia was held on 23 January 2025. Representatives from the European Commission (hereinafter, the Commission) discussed with competent authorities from North Macedonia the most recent developments in these areas. The meeting was co-chaired for the EU by the Deputy Head of Unit for Albania and North Macedonia at the Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, Mr. Giulio Venneri, and for North Macedonia by the State Secretary from Ministry for Digital Transformation, Ms. Gordana Klincarova.

In the area of education, the Commission welcomed among others progress by North Macedonia, in digital education, vocational education and training, as well as in rationalising the school network and making its financing more efficient and sustainable. It took note of the adoption of new or amended laws on various aspects of the education system, underlining that follow up is necessary since gender-based discrimination was removed as a ground for discrimination in the Law on Primary Education, which raises questions in terms of inclusion. The Commission also underlined the need for the finalisation of outstanding education reforms, and the crucial importance of delivery on time on the measures under the Reform Agenda to enhance human capital development. On the Skopje European Capital of Culture 2028 project, the Commission stressed the need to support its implementation, in line with the commitments made during the candidacy of the city.

As regards information society and media, the Commission welcomed the commitment of North Macedonia to advance integration to the Digital Single Market, and the implementation of the 112 European emergency number. It congratulated North Macedonia on the adoption on the Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2028 on 21 January 2025. The Commission also took note that North Macedonia will adopt the national ICT strategy and its action plan in April 2025. It encouraged North Macedonia to set up the agency of digital transformation. It underlined the need for North Macedonia to actively participate in Digital Europe Programme calls to which it is already associated. The Commission underlined that the independence of the regulator must be ensured in the provisions of the new law aligning with the EU’s Telecoms Code. It also stressed the need of aligning to the 5G cybersecurity toolbox rules in the preparation of the 5G deployment plan, and the need to fully align media laws with the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the European Media Freedom Act, with the latter gradually becoming applicable across the EU. Also in this sector, the Commission underlined once more the need to finalise pending reforms and delivery on time the legislative actions that feature amongst the steps of the Reform Agenda.

In the field of social policy and employment, the Commission welcomed the efforts on reducing unemployment, including the steps taken to further improve vocational education and training, such as the adoption of the new law on vocational education and training. It also welcomed the substantial increase of people receiving guaranteed minimum assistance (GMA). The Commission noted that the Youth Guarantee scheme continued being implemented successfully throughout the country. Structural challenges remain, when it comes to the high unemployment rate, especially of young people, women, Roma and people with disabilities, and on equal opportunities, and employment and social aspects of gender equality. The Commission stressed the need to accelerate pending legislative reforms as the adoption of the new law on labour relations, on occupational safety and health and strengthening the implementation of the law on peaceful settlement of labour disputes.

The Commission welcomed the efforts made by North Macedonia on strengthening the research and innovation capacity of the public and private sector, the increased science budget, and the country’s continuous efforts to improve participation in Horizon Europe. It congratulated the counterparts on the completion of the Smart Specialisation Strategy but underlines that now it must move towards its implementation.