The Cabinet of Executive Vice president Minzatu of the European Commission organized on March 4^th, 2026, a special Round Table on Vocational Education and Training. In total 13 entrepreneurs, active in different sectors, were invited to share their ideas on the need for skills, the cooperation with schools and what Europe can do. We are very proud that Peter Loyens, Belgian representative in our Presidium and director of our CoF-member Krinkels, took part in de Round Table to share his views from his company- and European sectoral perspective.

The European Commission is working on a new EU Strategy for Vocational Education and Training. This topic is also a priority on the ELCA lobby-agenda. Recently ELCA had an exchange with the Directorate General Employment of the European Commission to introduce the needs of the landscape garden sector and to explain our ambition to launch a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence. As a follow-up the request came to ELCA to recommend an entrepreneur who could take part in a Round Table, initiated by the Cabinet of Commissioner Minzatu, and give his view on how vocational training supports the organization of the workforce. It is very much  appreciated, that Peter Loyens of Krinkels was willing to respond to this request and represented us there. Krinkels started for example the Krinkels Academy and works closely together with schools. This cooperation between school and companies is the basis for applied vocational training and the driver behind our ambition to launch a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence for landscape gardening. This network should facilitate the definition of labour market needs, the organisation of vocational training and lifelong learning programs, the development of innovative curricula and the exchange of students and professionals for traineeships.