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COM (84) 446 
 
 
 
Vol. 1984/0 184 
  
 
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concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
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In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februa r 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(84) 446 final
Brussels, 24 September 1984
A PEOPLE 'S EUROPE
Implementing the conclusions  
of the Fontainebleau European Council
(Communication of the Commission to the Council)
COM(84) 446 final

A People's Europe
Implementing the conclusions  
of the Fontainebleau European Council
------------------------------------  |
1.
 New proposals for a People's Europe
Considering that it is essential that the Community should respond to  
the expectations of the people of Europe by adopting measures to strengthen  
and promote its identity and image both for its citizens and the rest of the  
world; the Fontainebleau European Council requesced the Council to take a series  
of specific measures before the 30th June 1985 and to study several suggestions.
It decided at the same time to create an ad hoc Committee comprised of Heads of  
State and Governments in order to prepare for and coordinate these actions.
The Commission welcomes this willingness to reinforce the fundamental consensus  
of European public opinion on the need for a People's Europe by the adoption of  
measures which will have real effects on the everyday life of Europeans.
The initiative of the European Council seems more opportune than ever as the  
low participation in the elections for the European Parliament, last June,  
showed clearly that the man in the street finds it difficult to reconcile the  
disparity between the political calls for European unity and the fact that  
they fail to manifest themselves in real terms, in numerous aspects of  
everyday life.
The Commission intends more than ever to lend active support to this initiative,  
given that it has for a long time now, made numerous proposals connected with  
a People's Europe, and to which attention was recently once again drawn in  
its communication of June 1984 on the consolidation of the internal market.
The present communication to the Council sets out the position that has  
been reached with regard to work in the four sectors in which the European  
Council has requested that decisions be taken in the near future; the European  
passport, a single document for the movement of goods, the abolition
of immigration and customs formalities at the Community's internal frontiers for  
travellers, general systems of equivalence for qualifications. It will present its  
ideas on the other suggestions made at Fontainebleau at a later date.

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On thes- four sectors, varying progress has been made, but the political will  
that would make the first steps towards a People's Europe a success was missing.
Inspired by reason of the undertakings made by the European Council and the
task of providing impetus confided to the ad hoc Committee, the Commission  
now expects the Council to achieve consensus on these matters.
2. Without waiting for the results of the exercise, immediate progress must  
be made in two specific fields :
- the raising from 280 ECU to 2000 ECU; as from 1st July 1985 of the
tax allowances for travellers,and the raising at the same time from
70 ECU to 130 ECU of the tax allowances for small non commercial  
consignments.
- the adoption generally from the 1st July 1985 of the free passage  
accross the Community's internal frontiers of Community citizens  
displaying upon their vehicle a special sticker, with checks being  
confined to spot checks.

- 3 -
II. Current position and new moves
3. EUROPEAN PASSPORT
At its meeting in Rome on 3 and 4 December 1975 the European Council approved  
the introduction of a passport having a uniform format. Pursuant to this  
decision the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting  
within the Council passed a resolution on 23 June 1981^ agreeing on the  
uniform format and the scope of the passport; in addition they resolved that  
the "Member States will endeavour" to issue European passports from 1  January  
1985 at the latest.
According to the information available to the Commission a number of Member  
States have already taken the necessary steps to ensure that the deadline  
of 1  January 1985 for the introduction of the European passport explicitly  
confirmed by the Fontainebleau European Council will be met. But in other  
Member states its introduction by that date appears to have come up against  
problems, largely because deliberations on the simultaneous adoption of a  
machine-readable format are still not concluded.
The Commission considers that the consequent delay in many Member States in  
introducing the European passport is unacceptable. Any Member State that  
condones it is seriously underestimating the urgency of the operation from  
the point of view of the integration policy and flagrantly contradicting  
the conclusions of the European Council; in addition, such an attitude is  
incomprehensible if only in view of the preparation period of several years  
that has been allowed for introducing the passport.
The Commission has repeatedly expressed misgivings about a machine-readable  
document, to the extent that use of this technique entails the risk of  
tighter and more systematic checks at the Community's internal borders.
OJ C 241, 19 September 1981, p. 1.

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Alth agh possibly justified at the Community's outer frontiers, any  
computerised gates" at internal borders are at all costs to be avoided.
The i-ventual solution should rather lie in a general abolition of border  
checks of passports and identity documents in passenger travel between  
Member States,while at the same time tightening controls at the Community's  
outer borders. (See points 4.2 and 4.3)
The Commission would therefore strongly urge all Member States to take  
the necessary measures, without any delay, to ensure that the European  
passport can actually be issued to their nationals from 1  January 1985.
In this context the Commission finds it difficult to hide its concerns  
arising from the tendency emerging in some Member States to  
substantially increase the fee for the issue of a passport to coincide  
with the issue of the European passport. The Commission appreciates that  
a Member State may charge a fee in the course of its administrative  
activities to cover the services provided. The risk.however,that an  
excessive increase in such fees would have dissuasive and  
harmful effects with regard to the way the European passport is received,  
should not be underestimated. As complaints reaching the Commission show,  
current fees for passports in many Member States are already regarded as  
excessive and are consequently considered to be an obstacle to travel,  
particularly for young people. The Commission would therefore urge the  
Member States to review their fee policies and, in any event to refrain
from using the introduction of the European passport to increase passport  
fees.

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4. ABOLITION OF ALL IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS FORMALITIES FOR TRAVELLERS  
AT INTERNAL COMMUNITY FRONTIERS
The continued existence of customs barriers and signs saying "Customs" and  
the frequent long queues waiting at the Community's internal frontiers  
are the most potent symbol and visible expression for Europeans of the  
absence of European unity. Given the importance of tourism in the  
Community^ and also the number of persons who travel for business purposes,  
it is entirely understandable that,after more than 26 years of the  
Community having been existence,the present formalities and checks at the  
internal frontiers are irritating for and resented by its citizens. The  
European Council was therefore quite right in deciding to put an end to this  
situation.
4.1 "Customs formalities"
In order to avoid any misunderstanding, it should be pointed out that the  
"customs formalities" still in force are almost exclusively formalities  
and checks which exist for tax or administrative reasons. The basic  
reason why formalities continue to exist is the disparities that continue  
to exist between the tax systems in the Member States, particularly in  
value added tax and excise duties.
Without waiting for the long-overdue, large-scale harmonisation of value  
added taxes and excise duties which can be achieved in the medium term,  
the Community has nonetheless managed, by means of a range of tax measures,  
and in particular by the introduction of the system of tax-free allowances,  
to make some initial tangible achievements in reducing "customs formalities".  
But this must not blind us to the fact that, quite apart from the continuing  
efforts to achieve tax harmonisation, many other steps can be taken which,  
themselves, will help to speed up the elimination of "customs formalities"  
for travellers within the Community.
1cf.  C0M(82)385 final.

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4.1.1 Tax-free allowances for travellers
In April 1983 the Commission presented to the Council a programme for  
periodical increases over several years in tax-free allowances to bring  
them to 400 ECU by 1987, together with some increases in the duty-free  
quantities for specific products subject to excise duties such as wine,  
coffee, and tea(l).  Initially, the Council has so far agreed solely to  
an increase in the tax-free allowance from the starting level of 210 ECU  
to 280 ECU with effect from 1  June 1984, and even this was tied to a number  
of transitional regulations applying to specific Member States(2).
According to the. Commission's calculations this increase in the tax-free  
allowance does not even offset the reduction in value caused by inflation.
A further increase that would raise the tax-free allowance to 320 ECU as  
from 1  January 1985, as proposed by the Commission, is currently being  
discussed in the Council.
The system of tax-free allowances for travellers is based on the principle  
that additional taxes should not be levied on goods purchased in one Member  
State and normally taxed in that State, when such goods are imported (for  
non-commercial purposes) into another Member State within the limits as to  
value and quantity laid down by the Community. As a result double taxation  
and complicated, time-consuming frontier formalities can be avoided.  
Increasing tax-free allowances in terms of value and quantity can thus make  
a significant contribution towards facilitating the crossing of frontiers.
This is why the Commission considers it necessary, in order to effectively  
implement the mandate given by the European Council to immediately go  
further than the programme mentioned above and to raise tax-free allowances  
for travellers from 1  July 1985 from the present 280 ECU to 400 ECU. To do 
so, it will submit a proposal to the Council as soon as possible.
*C0M(83)117 final, 6 April 1983.
2
Council Directive 84/231/EEC, 30 April 1984; OJ L 117, 3.5.1984, p. 42.

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If the total abolition of the tax-related "customs formalities" can only  
be achieved as part of a far-reaching approximation of indirect tax  
structures, rates and numbers of rates, this approximation ought not to be  
made a prerequisite for tax allowances for travellers that are more  
generous as to limits and quantities, particularly between Member States  
whose tax rates do not in any case diverge very greatly.
Overall the Commission feels that the risk of increased tax-free allowances  
being systematically abused is relatively small. This is all the more true  
as spot checks can continue to be made (see section 5.3).
4.1.2 Removals, change of residence
Since 1  January 1984 a Directive has been in force which allows individuals  
changing their place of residence from one Member State to another to  
import their personal property without having to pay additional tax in the  
country of destination. This means that personal effects which are part of  
a removal, provided that they were purchased in the country of origin under  
normal conditions of taxation at least three months (for motor vehicles  
etc. at least six months) before the change of residence, are not subjected  
to double or compensatory taxation.(1)
The Directive on tax exemption for removals could be applied more favourably  
to the man in the street. The Commission will accordingly shortly be  
submitting a proposal which should first and foremost simplify the current  
import, export and transit formalities for removals within the Community  
for all concerned (e.g. by reducing the papers and documents currently  
required).
Council Directive 83/183/EEC, 28 March 1983; OJ L 105, 23 April 1983, p. 64.

-  8 -
4.1.3 Temporary importation of vehicles for private use
A Directive came into force on 1  January 1984 which exempts from tax in  
the Member State of importation the temporary importation of certain means  
of transport for private use or or private vehicles for business use(l).  
The Directive also covers cases where an employee or a student normally  
resident in one Member State uses a vehicle registered there in order to  
travel to a place of work or place of study in another Member State.
This Directive on tax exemption for the temporary importation of private  
vehicles is the first major breakthrough towards settling the countless  
practical difficulties which arise in cross-frontier movement of persons,  
which, particularly in frontier regions, has given rise to a large number  
of complaints from the persons involved. However, more far-reaching  
measures to simplify formalities still have to be taken.
This is true for example of cases of private use of a company car which an  
employer with a registered office in one Member State provides for an  
employee resident in another Member State for the journey between work and  
home. A solution is also required for cases in which an individual  
temporarily drives for private purposes in the Member State in which he  
has his normal place of residence a borrowed vehicle which is registered  
in another Member State, for example the car of a friend visiting from  
abroad. In both these cases the use of the vehicle can, under the varying  
national regulations now in force, be punishable by anything from a  
considerable fine to confiscation of the vehicle used.
It is cases like these which arise in the everyday lives of numerous  
Europeans that are rightly felt to be scandalous and which cause serious  
damage to the Community's image.
The Commission intends shortly to take initiatives that will offer a  
solution to cases of this type whilst taking due account of the problem  
of tax evasion.
1Council Directive 83/182/EEC, 28 March 1983; O J  L  105, 23.4.1983, p. 59.

- 9 -
4.1.4 Imports of used goods for personal use
According to an important judgement of the Court of Justice in 1982 used  
goods purchased by individuals on which taxes were levied in the country  
of origin should not be subject to full taxation again in the country of  
destination. At the very least the amount of tax borne by the goods in  
the country of origin should be fully taken into account in the Member  
State of importation. (1)
In order to give practical effect to this legal precedent the Commission
recently presented a proposal to the Council which it feels should be
discussed and adopted as soon as possible since it settles some very
. . . .  ( 2)specific cases directly affecting Europeans m  their daily lives.
In this connection the Commission would also draw attention to its proposal,  
which has been pending before the Council for many years, on the value  
added tax to be applied to cross frontier movements of works or art,  
antiques, and used goods, which serves the same purpose of avoiding double
(3)taxation. Discussion of this proposal should immediately be resumed  
and a decision taken.
4.1.5 Tax relief for small postal consignments
In December 1983 the Commission presented to the Council a programme  
for the periodical increase over several years of the tax relief allowed  
for small consignments of a non-commercial character sent by one individual  
to another in different Member States (4). It was proposed that the current  
tax-free limit of 70 ECU should be increased to 130 ECU by 1987. As  
with tax-free allowances for travellers, the increases in the relief for  
these types of small private consignments of goods have been so small in  
the past few years that, as a result of the reduction in value through  
inflation, the real value of the tax-free amounts is now significantly  
lower than in 1974.
^Judgement in Case 47/84 (Schul),  5 May 1982.
^Proposal for a Sixteenth VAT Directive, C0M(84)318 final, 18 July 1984.  
^Proposal for a SEventh VAT Directive, COM(79)249 final, 11 May 1979.  
^C0M(83)730 final, 12 December 1983.

-  10  -
Although, the sending of small consignments of goods for private use strictly  
speaking has nothing to do with the movement of persons, the Commission  
considers - as the large number of complaints shows - that the adoption of  
its prc josed increase in the tax-free amounts is an urgent necessity which  
would be well received by the man in the street.
It considers, as it requested in respect of tax-free allowances for travellers  
(see point 4.1.1), that it is necessary to go further than the programme of  
several years duration that has been proposed and to raise the tax-free  
allowance for small consignments from the present 70 ECU to 130 ECU as  
from 1  July 1985. In addition the proposal to grant an appropriate tax-free  
allowance for newspapers, magazines, brochures and books sent by an individual  
in one Member State to a person in another should be adopted.
In addition the Commission will also quickly reexamine the existing rules  
for non-commercial consignments of goods subject to excise duties (e.g. gifts  
of a few bottles of wine). It will present proposals on this subject seeking  
to ensure more generous treatment of these cases by the Member States, by  
for example the introduction, at an appropriate level, of a minimum uniform  
threshold of tax allowances to be applied.
The Commission is also examining the legal position with regard to the  
"customs clearance fee" levied in some Member States on the despatch and  
reception of small parcels.
4.1.6 Passenger Road Transport
At the present time the Member States may, by virtue of the derogation  
contained in Annex F of the 6th VAT Directive, impose VAT or refrain from  
doing so on passenger road transport. The majority of Member States have  
refrained from doing so however, others require VAT to be paid, for distances  
covered within their territory, by a passenger road transport vehicle from  
another Member State on an international journey, when it crosses the frontier.  
Because of this practice there are considerable formalities to be accomplished  
at the frontier of their countries prolonging the time for which vehicles  
and their passengers have to stop.

- 10 bis -
The practice of certain Member States of imposing VAT at the frontier on  
passenger road transport between Member States does comply with the 6th  
VAT Directive. However, the Commission considers it desirable, in order to  
facilitate the crossing of frontiers, that Member States should quickly  
apply the definitive rules envisaged by the directive for such cases.
These provide that passenger transport is only taxed in the state where the  
journey commences, whilst leaving it up to that state to refrain totally  
from such taxation if it so wishes (for as long as the derogation provided  
for in Annex F rests in force).
The Commission will make proposals to harmonise the present divergent practices  
as soon as possible.
4.1.7 Currency controls
The EEC Treaty affords persons receiving services such as tourists, those  
travelling for study or business purposes and those receiving medical care  
the automatic right to obtain the funds they need in order to be able to  
pay for services received in other Member States. This right was explicitly  
confirmed in a judgement handed down by the Court of Justice of the European  
Communities at the beginning of the year (1).
In connection with the restrictions and controls on the export of currency  
which still exist in certain Member States, the Commission recently sent the  
Member States concerned its interpretation of the Court's judgement on the
1
Judgement in joined Cases 286/82 and 26/83 (Luisi and Carbone), 31 January 1984.

-  1 1 -
problem of currency controls, at the same time requesting that they adapt  
their relevant legislation to the requirements of Community law. A number  
of Member States have already started to relax their currency controls.
The present practice of conducting currency controls at the t rentiers ot 
the Member States concerned has often led to complicated formalities in  
connection with international travel. The above-mentioned adjustments to  
the currency control regulations should thus contribute towards significantly  
improving the situation.
4.2 Immigration formalities
The prerequisite for total abolition of immigration formalities for  
individuals crossing the Community's internal frontiers is that allowing  
travellers to cross frontiers without checks on the one hand, and the  
safeguarding of legitimate needs of internal security on the other, should no  
longer be regarded as mutually exclusive. A whole new approach has to be  
found. This means in particular that, in moves towards integration, the  
Community's internal frontiers should no longer be taken as the starting  
point for combatting crime or drug smuggling, preventing illegal immigration,  
etc. Instead, increased and effective cooperation between the responsible  
authorities in the Member States and stricter checks at the Community's  
external frontiers should be the starting point for a Community solution.
Even now, however, additional steps can be taken to ease immigration  
formalities for travellers, by the immediate implementation of the Resolution  
on the easing of personal checks at frontiers.

-  1 2  -
On 7 June 1984 the Council and the Member States adopted a resolution on  
measures to reduce waiting time and the duration of chechs at the  
Community's internal frontiers<1>. This is to be achieved in particular  
by setting up special check-points for nationals of the Member States and  
carrying out only spot checks at frontiers.
To make it easier to cross frontiers, it will be assumed that a person  
belongs to a Member State of the Community if he presents a European  
passport. Finally, more far-reaching concessions are demanded for people  
living close to a frontier.
The resolution on the easing of personal checks at the Community's internal  
frontiers, adopted by the Council on a proposal from the Commission, is the  
first step towards the complete elimination of immigration formalities and  
checks. However, further action must be taken (see 4.3 below).
The resolution must be put into practice immediately to meet the European  
Council's demands. The Member States should inform the Commission of the  
implementing measures they take.
4.3 Two-stage plan to eliminate all frontier formalities
The European Council has quite explicitly set as its objective the abolition  
of "all immigration and customs formalities" for people crossing the Community's  
internal frontiers and calls for this to be achieved in the near future and  
at all events before the middle of 1985.
The Commission feels that the various formalities and checks at the Community's  
internal frontiers should be abolished in two stages. It bases its views on  
agreements which already exist between certain countries for phasing out  
frontier checks and which it sees as a fine example of ways of speeding  
up the elimination of personal checks at internal frontiers. It believes  
that all Member States should make such arrangements with their neighbours  
and that there should be overall Community coordination. The initial
considerations could serve as a basis for coordinated Community action and  
thus contribute to achieving the objective set by the European Council :
(1)0J C 15 E of 19 June 1984, p.1

- 13 -
4.3.1. In the first stage, the Community should introduce as from 1st 
July 1985 a special sticker system analogous to that provided for in the 
Franco-German agreement of 13th July 1984.
With regard to Community citizens displaying such a special sticker on 
their vehicle, the rule of free passage across the Community's internal 
frontiers for travellers would apply and checks could be limited to spot 
checks; it would not be possible to derogate from this rule except other 
than in exceptional and justified circumstances e.g. for imperative 
security reasons.
It would thus be possible to carry out a simple visual check of vehicles 
and their occupants as they cross the frontier at reduced speed without 
the flow of traffic being reduced. Spot checks could be carried out 
by waving drivers into a special lane.
Similar measures, for Community citizens, as regards travel by other means 
of transportation, should also be given thought.
In parallel with the actual implementation of the former on 1st July 1985, 
it will be necessary, during the first stage, to achieve the realisation of 
the fiscal measures dealt with under points 4.1.1. to 4.1.6.
4.3.2. The second stage would see the complete elimination of all frontier
formalities and checks. This assumes in addition to the harmonization
of taxes (see 4.1. above), the harmonization of provisions on the issue
of visas and the admission of nationals of non-Community countries, 
and the establishment of an appropriate and effective structure for close 
cooperation between national immigration and police authorities.

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4.3.3. The Commission considers that having regard to the complexity of the 
problem, moves which are so fundamentally new as those necessary for the total 
removal of frontier checks and formalities in compliance with the European 
Council'smandate cannot be achieved within the time limit laid down by the 
European Council except for the first stage. However, the second stage 
of the plan must begin immediately afterwards.
4,4. Right of residence
Between 1964 and 1973 the Community put into effect several directives 
on the right of admission and residence for Community citizens wishing 
to work in another Community country. These measures guarantee freedom 
of movement for workers and the self-employed within the Community.
In addition, the Community has also made it possible for a national of one 
Member State to continue to reside permanently in another Member State 
where he has been working.
Although the general right of residence  of Community citizens does not 
directly concern frontier controls, the Commission wishes to emphasize 
that there are still quite a number of problems in this field , which 
in light of a People's Europe need a solution.
To supplement the existing rules, the Commission has already, some 
years ago, made a proposal aimed at solving the problems of residence - 
more particularly -the problem of students and other persons who for 
personal reasons opt for long-term or permanent residence in a Member State 
other than their country of origin ^\The present legal position is that 
these persons have no right of residence, and this leads to frequent 
complaints to the Commission and total incomprehension on the part of the 
persons affected (e.g. a pensioner who wishes to retire to another Member 
State).
Like the European Parliament, the Commission considers it important that, 
negotiations in the Council which have already lasted several years, should 
as soon as possible result in a positive decision.
(1)COM (80) 358 of 27 June 1980

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5. INTRODUCTION OF A SINGLE DOCUMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS
Despite the considerable progress already made in facilitating the carriage 
of goods between Member States, there are still too many formalities and 
checks at frontiers often causing tiresome and above all expensive 
delays. The events that occurred last' spring at the Italian-French and 
Italian-Austrian-German frontier zone demonstrated very clearly how urgent 
it is also to find a solution to the problems encountered by goods traffic 
at frontiers. In a communication issued last April the Commission listed 
the existing difficulties and proposed practical solutions .
The European Council's call for the introduction of a single document 
for the movement of goods - first made at the 1982 Copenhagen summit 
and now repeated - has confirmed the Commission in its view that the 
Council must now finally act on the Commission proposals which have been 
pending for such a long time.
At the Council meeting on the Internal Market fixed for the 9th October 
1984 a decision should be taken as to the introduction of a single 
documents, which should in one single form replace a hundred of national 
forms. In connection with this, the Commission would emphasize the fact 
that the quantity of data on this single form must still be significantly 
reduced in order to simplify things for the business persons concerned.
Furthermore, the Commission would stress, once again, that the introduction of 
a single document is not in itself sufficient to eliminate all the 
formalities and checks stilt applying to the carriage of goods. A key 
role will be played by the proposal for a 14th VAT Directive,under which 
VAT on imports would no longer be collected at customs offices but on the 
basis of the periodic return which the importer in any case has to submit 
to his tax office .This measure is an indispensable step towards the 
elimination of frontier formalities and checks for the carriage of goods 
between Member States.
(1)C0M(84)134 of 4 April 1984
(2)C0M(82)402  final of 5 July 1982

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6. UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS AND THE FREEDOM OF ESTABLISHMENT
The European Council calls for a general system for ensuring the equivalence 
of university diplomas in order to bring about the effective freedom of 
establishment within the Community.
The Commission interprets the European Council's conclusions as referring 
primarily to the mutual recognition of diplomas in connection with the 
freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services, i.e. affecting 
the right to work. However, the academic recognition of diplomas and 
periods of study, i.e. the educational angle, is also of major importance 
for the creation of a People's Europe* as well as the question of the mobility 
of students, researchers and university professors.
6.i  Freedom of establishment
Progress has been slow since the early successes in the seventies for 
measures concerning the mutual recognition of university diplomas and 
the closely related freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide 
services, especially in the medical professions. Proposals for 
directives granting these freedoms to architects and technical 
professions have now been before the Council for over fifteen years.
A Commission proposal for a Directive relating to the activities of 
pharmacists is at present being examined by the Council and a
decision may be forthcoming by the end of the year.
The Commission welcomes the European Council's call for a general system 
for ensuring the equivalence of university diplomas. The slow 
progress of recent years has convinced the Commission too that a more flexible 
overall approach must be devised to achieve any real breakthrough as 
regards the freedom of establishment.

- 17 -
The conclusions of the Brussels European Council on 21 and
23 March 1983 and the Council Resolution of 6 June 1974 on the mutual 
recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal 
qualifications , the Commission's initial approach to the Fontainebleau 
mandate is as follows:
The system aimed for must be applicable to a large number of sectors. The 
basic idea is the mutual recognition of diplomas without any previous 
harmonization of education and training. To make up for this absence of 
harmonization, an individual wishing to benefit from this freedom of movement 
must have acquired some relevant professional experience in an employed or 
self-employed caoacity in the country of origin or host country before being 
admitted unconditionally,^ the host country to a profession covered by the plan­
ned arrangements. Each horizontal plan must cover the activities of the self-
employed and the employed, since several activities requiring a university 
diploma can be carried out by both categories.
However, for this procedure to be successful, the experience gained in past 
years must be taken into consideration. From an analysis of past results 
and difficulties the Commission will submit proposals as soon as possible 
on the outline of a general system for ensuring the equivalence of university 
diplomas in order to bring about the effective freedom of establishment within 
the Community.
In connection with this the Commission would moreover draw attention to the 
fact that it made a proposal to the Council for a decision on the comparability 
of vocational training qualifications between Member States 
Tiiis seeks to eliminate obstacles to the free movement of workers in the 
Community resulting from the diversity of national diplomas. The Commission 
hopes that the Council will soon come to a decision on this proposal.
(1) 0 J C 98, 20.8.1974, p.1
(2)COM (84) 482 final of 7 September 1983 and 
COM (84) 406 final of 12 JULy 1984

- 18 -
6.2. Mobility of students, researchers and university teachers
For many years the Council and the Ministers of Education meeting within 
the Council have discussed the situation relating to the academic recognition 
of diplomas and periods of university study and the practical conditions 
for greater mobility at university level. The Commission welcomes the 
initiatives that have been taken to date.
To date more than 500 universities and other higher education establishments 
have participated. In addition, support has been given in the form of grants 
and scholarships to educators and administrators so as to enable them to 
familiarize themselves with systems of higher education in other Member States. 
Every Member State has set up an office which acts as an information centre 
on academic recognition. The Commission is currently preparing measures 
that will support these activities on a Community level by the creation of 
a coordination centre.
In 1984 the Commission succeeded for the first time in awarding a limited number 
of scholarships enabling students to undertake part of their studies in 
another Member State. It is this type of action that is essential to 
give added momentum to the mobility of students within the Community; however, 
it would need very great practical and financial support to develop this action 
in an adequate manner.
Finally, it should be stated that at the beginning of this year the Commission 
sent a Communication to the Council on a plan for stimulating European 
cooperation and scientific and technical interchange^^ which requires a 
favourable response.
(1)
COM(84)46 final of 3 February 1984

ANNEX
5 •  A PEOPLE'S EUROPE
The European Council considers It essential that the  
Community should respond to the expectations of the people of  
Europe by adopting measures to strengthen and promote its  
Identity and its image both for its citizens and for the rest  
of the world.
An ad hoc Committee will be set up to prepare and  
co-ordinate this action. It will be composed of representatives  
of the Heads of State or of Government of the Member States.
The European Council approves the agreement reached on the  
principle of creating a European passport and asks the Council  
to take the necessary decisions to ensure that this passport is  
actually available to Member States' nationals by 1  January 1985  
at the latest.
It asks the Council and the Member States to put In hand  
without delay a study of the measures which could be taken to  
bring about in the near future, and in any case before the middle
of 1985:
- a single document for the movement of goods;
- the abolition of all police and customs formalities for people  
crossing intra-Communlty frontiers;
- a general system for ensuring the equivalence of university  
diplomas, in order to bring about the effective freedom of  
establishment within the Community.
The Committee will examine inter alia the following  
suggestions:
- symbols of the Community's existence, such as a flag and' an 
anthem;
- formation of European sports teams;
- streamlining procedures at frontier posts;
- minting of a European coinage, namely the ECU.

~  d  -ANNEX
It would also like the Member States to take steps to  
encourage young people to participate In projects organized  
by the Community beyond its frontiers, and in particular to  
support the creation of national committees of European  
volunteers for development, bringing together young Europeans  
who wish to work on development projects in the third world.
•  The ad hoc Committee will also examine the following  
suggest ions:
- measures to combat drug abuse;
- the twinning of children's classes.
The Commission will contribute to the proceedings of the  
Committee within the limits.of its powers.