Better services for skills and qualifications (Europass)

2016/0304(COD)

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, in conjunction with the Committee on Culture and Education, adopted the report by Thomas MANN (EPP, DE) and Svetoslav Hristov MALINOV (EPP, BG) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on a common framework for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass) and repealing Decision No 2241/2004/EC.

The committees recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows.

Purpose and scope: the Europass framework, based on a portfolio of documents, would be voluntary and personal and shall:

  • make qualifications and competences transparent and interoperable within and between the Member States;
  • facilitate, through accessible web-based tools, information and the development of open standards, transparency and understanding across Member States of the skills and qualifications acquired through formal, non-formal and information learning and through practical experiences, including mobility.

Those web-based tools and that information are intended to help users better communicate and present their skills and qualifications. Europass shall be managed by the Commission, in a way that respects the structures and administrative arrangements of Member States.

Tools and information: Europass shall make available, in an accessible way:

  • tools for documenting and describing skills and qualifications acquired through working and learning experiences, including cross-border mobility;
  • tools to (self) assess individual skills, in the broadest manner possible, through validated methods, including through questionnaires, by reference to established descriptions of skills or through the integration of data from other existing aligned and synchronised EU self-assessment tools such as the Youthpass and other recognised (self-)assessment tools, created and used by youth organisations such as digital learning badges;
  • Europass Diploma and Certificate Qualification Supplements.

Europass may also provide, in cooperation with the Member States:

  • information on qualifications and qualifications frameworks  as well as on recognition laws, practices and decisions in different Member States, an in third countries;
  • additional information to meet the particular needs of third-country nationals arriving or residing in the Union by legal means.

Assessment tools shall undergo a quality assurance process before being integrated in Europass.

In addition, Europass web-based tools shall be delivered in all official languages of the European Union, shall be interoperable and secure, and shall be accessible to persons with disabilities. Europass shall ensure the protection of the data of its users at all times. The user shall decide what information is visible and searchable for employers and users.

Europass Certification Supplement(s): Members state that any developments in this area should take into account and be in line with the results of the work of the Bologna Follow Up Group’s Advisory Group on Revision of Diploma Supplement.

European Classification of Skills, Competencies, Qualifications and Occupations framework (ESCO): as this is an ongoing project, ESCO is an instrument that has not been fully developed or tested nor approved by the Member States. Therefore, Members considered that the ESCO classification cannot be considered as a basis for a Europass reference terminology.

Implementation and follow-up: the Commission should keep abreast of the new knowledge on websites and mobile applications that can improve the accessibility of Europass for older people and persons with disabilities.

Role of Member States: these shall ensure the visibility and promotion at national level of Europass through education and training bodies and other stakeholders in the area of education, training and employment.