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Professional mobility is viewed as a key component of Europe's competitiveness. The current system for the recognition of professional qualifications has been identified as a barrier to cross-border labour mobility, and it needs to be modernised. Easier labour mobility would also assist in the challenge of filling high-skill jobs. Professional qualifications obtained outside the European Union would be more easily recognised and these people could help to alleviate the projected skills shortages, particularly in the health professions. This paper contends that it is essential for the Professional Qualifications Directive to set out clear and simple rules for the recognition of qualifications. Show less

This updated note on [European Qualifications Framework] EQF referencing aims to continue to support national decisions and international exchanges on the referencing process in countries yet to complete the referencing process and for those aiming at revisiting their referencing process or report. The aim is to present the current ‘state of the art’ of the referencing process and reflect the consensus reached in discussions of the EQF Advisory Group. The note provides advice based on experiences of other countries, it gives sources of information, clarifies some concepts related to the EQF referencing and outlines answers to common questions. It also proposes certain issues to be considered when carrying out the referencing. The note underlines the benefits the referencing process can have for the national qualifications systems being referenced. So far the referencing process has proven to be helpful to those countries that have experienced the process. It has made it easier for the stakeholders involved to examine the national qualifications systems from the point of view of an outsider. This perspective has, in some cases, revealed some hidden issues. As a consequence of this some countries have undertaken new action to improve their national system.

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The European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF) acts as a translation device to make national qualifications more readable across Europe, promoting the mobility of workers and learners between countries and facilitating their lifelong learning. The EQF will relate national qualifications systems to a common European reference framework. Individuals and employers will be able to use the EQF to better understand and compare the qualifications levels of different countries and different education and training systems. The EQF was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 23 April 2008. The EQF encourages countries to relate their qualifications systems or frameworks to the EQF by 2010 and to ensure that all new qualifications issued from 2012 carry a reference to the appropriate EQF level. The core of the EQF are eight reference levels describing what a learner knows, understands and is able to do, i.e. learning outcomes. Levels of national qualifications will be placed at one of the central reference levels, ranging from basic (Level 1) to advanced (Level 8). It will therefore enable much easier comparison between national qualifications and should also mean that people do not have to repeat learning if they move to another country. The EQF applies to all types of education, training and qualifications, from school education to academic, professional and vocational education. The system shifts the focus from the traditional approach which emphasises 'learning inputs' such as the length of a learning experience, or type of institution. It also encourages lifelong learning by promoting the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

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The European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF) aims to improve the transparency, comparability and portability of people's qualifications. The EQF was set up in 2008 as a common reference framework of qualifications, expressed as learning outcomes at increasing levels of proficiency. The framework serves as a translation device between different qualifications systems and their levels. It is intended to benefit learners, workers, job-seekers, employers, trade unions, education and training providers, qualification recognition bodies, government authorities and international organisations. This document was published to mark the 10th anniversary of the EQF and provides an overview of the framework in general, how it can be used and who benefits. It also highlights the achievements of the EQF over the last 10 years and takes a look into the future.

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ESCO is the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations. It identifies and categorises skills, competences, qualifications and occupations relevant for the [European Union] EU labour market and education and training, in 25 European languages. The system provides occupational profiles showing the relationships between occupations, skills, competences and qualifications. ESCO has been developed in an open [information technology] IT format, is available for use free of charge by everyone and can be accessed through an online portal.

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In its June 2012 communication on the implementation of the Services Directive, the European Commission stressed the importance in this context of ensuring that the regulatory framework for professional services remains fit for purpose. The revised Professional Qualification Directive, on which the Council, European Parliament and Commission reached a political agreement in June 2013, addresses these issues and calls for a new strategy that requires each member state to actively perform a review and to modernise their regulations on qualifications governing access to professions or professional titles. This communication presents a work plan for conducting such a review. Improving access to professions, in particular through a more flexible and transparent regulatory environment in member states, would facilitate the mobility of qualified professionals within the internal market and the cross-border provision of professional services. This should also have a positive impact on the employment situation and enhance economic growth, especially since professional services alone amount to around nine per cent of the [Gross Domestic Product] GDP in the European Union.

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This report sets out an analysis of the technical and conceptual characteristics of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) in their operational contexts, identifying key elements of comparability and similarities and differences in a mutually beneficial way. One of the objectives for putting in place qualifications frameworks is to facilitate recognition of qualifications to support mobility of learners and workers - both within and between countries. While this report does not reference the NZQF with European national qualifications frameworks, it is intended to be useful for people in the European Union seeking to understand New Zealand qualifications, their place in the New Zealand education and qualification system and the quality assurance system that underpins the NZQF; and vice versa for people in New Zealand to acquire better understanding of the EQF objectives and implementation and of qualifications referenced to the EQF through European national qualifications frameworks. The analysis is the product of a joint project completed by a technical working group formed between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the EQF Advisory Group in 2014-15. The work on this report was completed in 2016.

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Mobility of professionals is currently low in the European Union (EU): 10 per cent of EU citizens have worked abroad. Between 2007 and 2010, Member States took decisions on approximately 105 000 requests for recognition. However, according to a Eurobarometer survey from 20103, 28 per cent of EU citizens are actually considering working abroad. These figures show a clear potential for greater mobility. Risk of increasing unemployment in some Member States will be a further driver for such mobility between economies in the Member States. From an economic point of view, mobility within regulated professions concerns mainly the health sector (representing 9.5 per cent of the [gross domestic product] GDP in the European Union), the construction sector (representing 7 per cent of the GDP in the EU), business services, the education sector (notably teachers), trade, transport and tourism. Efficient recognition of qualifications between Member States could bring additional flexibility to the labour markets: enhanced mobility of skilled workforce has the potential to contribute to the alleviation of forthcoming shortages of workforce in Member States. The Professional Qualifications Directive of 2005 consolidates a system of mutual recognition which was initially based on 15 Directives in this area. The need for a modernisation is supported by the outcome of an internal evaluation of the Directive which the Commission services conducted and published in July 2011. It has also been highlighted as a priority in the EU Citizenship Report 20109 and the New skills for new jobs initiative of the Commission. The purpose of this impact assessment (IA) is to provide analytical input for further action of the European Commission.

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