11/03/2026
Across Europe, discussions about skills shortages, workforce gaps, and labour-market mismatches are becoming increasingly prominent. Yet the data needed to understand these challenges is often scattered across surveys, platforms, and complex statistical systems. The TRAILS Portal, developed as part of the EU-funded TRAILS Project under the Horizon Europe programme, brings this information together in one accessible and interactive platform.
Designed for policymakers, researchers, and labour-market stakeholders, the portal transforms complex labour-market data into clear visual insights, supporting more informed decision-making on skills and employment policies across Europe.
Europe collects extensive data on employment, education, income, and workforce participation. However, these datasets are typically dispersed and technically demanding to analyse.
The TRAILS Portal integrates several major European surveys into a single, harmonised system, including the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS), the European Skills and Jobs Survey (ESJS), the Adult Education Survey (AES), EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), and the Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS).
By combining these sources, the platform provides a comprehensive view of key labour-market dynamics, including:
This integrated approach allows users to explore patterns across countries and population groups, supporting a deeper understanding of workforce dynamics across Europe.
In addition to harmonised datasets, the portal also hosts analytical indicators developed within the TRAILS project, including measures related to skills mismatch and job allocation quality. The platform will continue to evolve as new datasets and research outputs become available.
The TRAILS Portal goes beyond being a data repository. It offers a set of interactive tools that allow users to explore labour-market trends through visual analytics and customisable dashboards.
Users can filter indicators by country, age, gender, and education level, download datasets for further research, and access API connections for advanced analysis.
The platform is designed to balance user-friendliness with strong analytical capabilities, making it accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.
Policymakers can use the portal to monitor skills gaps and compare labour-market trends across countries. Researchers and analysts gain access to harmonised data that supports cross-country analysis. Labour-market actors, including employment services and training providers, can identify vulnerable groups and emerging skill needs.
By bridging the gap between complex statistical systems and practical policy insights, the portal supports evidence-based decision-making in the field of skills and employment.
Europe is currently undergoing major transformations driven by digitalisation, the green transition, and demographic change. These shifts are reshaping labour markets and increasing the need for reliable labour-market intelligence.
The TRAILS Portal helps translate complex data into accessible evidence, enabling users to identify where skills gaps exist, how workforce participation is evolving, and which groups may require targeted support.
By making labour-market data more accessible and comparable across Europe, the platform contributes to smarter policies and more resilient labour markets.
Whether you are a policymaker, researcher, analyst, or simply interested in Europe’s evolving skills landscape, the TRAILS Portal provides a powerful starting point for exploring labour-market trends.
Explore the portal and discover how data can support better decisions for the future of work in Europe.
Visit the TRAILS Portal:
https://portal.trails-project.eu
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101132673
