Antonella Ballone, President of the Gran Sasso d’Italia Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed Chair of the Eurochambres Skills and Jobs Committee. The appointment strengthens the contribution of the Italian chamber system to the European debate on skills, employability and labour market policies.
Antonella Ballone, President of the Gran Sasso d’Italia Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed Chair of the EUROCHAMBRES Skills and Jobs Committee, the platform bringing together European chamber systems on skills, employment, and vocational education and training.
This important appointment recognises President Ballone’s experience and commitment, while further enhancing the role of the Italian chamber system in shaping European discussions on skills and labour market policies.
President Ballone succeeds Martha Schultz, recently appointed President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. Philokypros Roussounides, Secretary General of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been appointed Vice-Chair.
In her new role, President Ballone will bring to the European level the experience gained through her leadership of the Gran Sasso d’Italia Chamber of Commerce, as well as her entrepreneurial background, contributing to stronger engagement by the Italian chamber system on skills development, employability and the alignment between education and labour market needs. This engagement will be supported by the technical coordination of Unioncamere Europa, Unioncamere’s Brussels office.
The Skills and Jobs Committee serves as a strategic platform for chambers’ contributions to EU policy discussions on skills, vocational education and training, and employment. Current priorities include skills portability, the impact of artificial intelligence on VET, contributions to the European Qualifications Framework, and the forthcoming European strategy for vocational education and training. The Committee also engages in consultations with the European Commission on qualifications recognition and skills development, including within the framework of the Union of Skills initiative.
Among the upcoming milestones, the meeting scheduled for 11 June with Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Skills, Quality Jobs and Social Rights, will provide an important opportunity to exchange views on future European priorities in the field of skills and employment.