EU literacy coalition launched to tackle low reading skills among teenagers

At a Brussels gathering, European Commission Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu unveiled the European Literacy Coalition, a new initiative targeting weak reading, writing and information-literacy skills in the EU. She pointed to the 2025 PISA assessment, which shows that a third of fifteen-year-olds cannot easily understand a basic text, and warned that such deficits affect education, employment and everyday civic participation.

The coalition assembles educators, librarians, publishers, researchers and policy makers to share proven methods and local experiences. Priorities include directing more resources to teachers early in their careers, fostering collaboration between schools, libraries and families, and boosting adults' ability to evaluate online content and spot disinformation. Participation is open to schools, NGOs, universities, public institutions and media, with a specific invitation to Romanian organisations. The launch follows Romania's below-average PISA scores, especially a 16-point drop in reading compared with 2022.