The Council of the European Union adopted a recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning in May 2018. The recommendation identifies eight key competences essential to citizens for personal fulfilment, a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, employability, active citizenship and social inclusion. The recommendation is a reference tool for education and training stakeholders. It sets up a common understanding of competences needed nowadays and in the future. The reference framework presents successful ways to promote competence development through innovative learning approaches, assessment methods or support to educational staff. All learners should achieve their full potential. To fulfil their different needs, the recommendation encourages Member States to: provide quality early childhood education and care, improve school education and ensure excellent teaching, further develop initial and continuing vocational education and training, and modernise higher education.