The sum of skills (basic and new basic skills) needed to live in contemporary knowledge society. In its Recommendation on key competences for lifelong learning, the European Commission sets out the eight key competences:

– communication in the mother tongue;

– communication in foreign languages;

– competences in maths, science and technology;

– digital competence;

– learning to learn;

– interpersonal, intercultural and social competences, and civic competence;

– entrepreneurship;

– cultural expression.