The European Commission published a report that compiles the latest information on teachers and school leaders, from pre-primary to post-secondary education in the EU, including data on age, gender, working hours and salaries. In the light of the report results, Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth stated that all member states should improve training and support for teachers.

The report published by the European Commission and combines data and information supplied by the Eurydice network, Eurostat and evidence from international surveys, shows that currently, induction programmes designed to offer personalised support and advice for new teachers are now mandatory in 15 EU member states (Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK) as well as in Croatia and Turkey. Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth underlined that member states should improve training and support for teachers so that they can fully develop their competences throughout their careers and ensure high quality and innovative teaching. Another recently published report shows that education budgets in member states are under pressure.

The report also shows that most EU countries have defined competences that teachers must possess to get a job and progress within the profession. These 'competence frameworks' are the basis for initial teacher education in all but 8 countries and regions (Belgium – German-speaking Community, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Slovakia).

On the other hand, most of Europe’s 5 million teachers are contractually bound to work at least 35-40 hours a week, which includes teaching time, availability on school premises and time for preparation and marking. Furthermore, the report also shows that in the majority of member states, teachers' minimum basic salaries are lower than per capita GDP for teachers working in compulsory education (primary and lower secondary education).