The “Industry 4.0” paradigm have generated new opportunities and new challenges for companies. In order to increase their competitiveness and efficiency, companies have to face the digital transformation of the production and logistics chains (smart manufacturing) and of products (smart interconnected objects). The impact of the forth industrial revolution is huge in terms of involved stakeholders and in potential economic growth.The forth industrial revolution have also triggered a huge educational challenge, bringing the need to re-train millions of employees to models and technologies unknown even ten years ago.The European Commission, in the Digital Single Market framework, has launched in 2016 the first Industry-related initiatives. However, most have been done in this year by means of single national initiatives. This approach has produced the creation of different training activities in the different countries, that lacks of a unified approach.The need to support the digital transformation of EU Industrial sector and to support the recognition of competences in this sector are the rationale behind the I4EU project. In line with the national and European policies the main objective is:- qualifying new professionals able to support the digital transformation of the European companies in the industrial sector, according to the Industry 4.0 paradigm.This objective is reached by pursuing the specifically objectives of:- sharing good practices and new business models and raising awareness about new technologies supporting the digital transformations of the industrial companies at European level;- creating VET qualifications for professionals inside European companies, enhancing their digital competences and up/re-skill them to Industry 4.0 key competences.In order to realize these objectives, the I4EU partnership has been set-up. It involves 8 partners coming from 6 different countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain). The partners are 3 HEIs, 1 University spin-off, 1 technological park, 2 network of companies and 1 consultancy company. The partnership ensures a very good geographical coverage and brings into the project complementary competences.The project will be realized in 36 month. A first review of the state of adoption of the Industry 4.0 model at national and European level and an assessment of the existing supporting policies will be the basis to design a Handbook, a practical guideline including examples, best practice, scenarios and suggestions for the implementations of Industry 4.0 model.Then, a competence meter will be implemented, being an online tool able to assess the level of maturity of companies and professionals towards the Industry 4.0 paradigm, while a smart industry observatory will monitor the evolution of the implementation of the Industry 4.0 model, extracting case studies and best-practices.This will lead to the design of VET qualification related to Industry 4.0, designed according to the European Lifelong Learning instruments (EQF, ECVET and EQAVET). Therefore, all the next training activities will be enclosed in framework that will allow the transparent recognition and transferability of the competences at European level.Then, in order to allow the student to acquire also practical competences, highly innovative didactic labs on Industry 4.0 will be developed. The instruments, working as virtual or remote labs, will allow the learners to make practical experiences with Industry 4.0 technologies.Finally, the target groups (companies, professionals, developers and users, researchers, learners) will be able to access the training courses at distance by means of the project web-platform. A detailed planning of the activities, accurate management and quality assurance procedures and a high commitment of all the partners are the basis for the successful implementation of the project. The project foresees 6 transnational management meetings and at least 13 virtual meetings.The project will directly impact on the European companies, in terms of staff members trained and qualified to support the digital transformation to Industry 4.0 model, on the professionals that will improve their skills and their employability, on the European Universities and VET providers, in terms of enhanced didactic offer in the Industry 4.0 sector. The project will also pay attention to ensure the involvement of an adequate percentage of women in the training activities.The I4EU qualifications, designed using the ECVET instrument, will allow the transnational recognition of the acquired competences and will enhance the employability of the qualified users at European level.The project long terms benefit will be to speed up the transition to the Industry 4.0 models across all economic sectors, fostering the European economy grow thanks to the digital transformation of the corporate sector. This perfectly match a pillar of the European Digital Single Market strategy.