Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty concerning the common position of the Council with a view to the adoption of a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass)
Date: 2004-10-22
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: administrative formalities, administrative transparency, apprenticeship, citizens' Europe, free movement of workers, recognition of vocational training qualifications, vocational training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 22.10.2004 
COM(2004) 705 final 

2003/0307(COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

common position of the Council with a view to the adoption of a Decision of the 
European Parliament and of the Council establishing a single framework for the 
transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
2003/0307(COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

common position of the Council with a view to the adoption of a Decision of the 
European Parliament and of the Council establishing a single framework for the 
transparency of qualifications and competences (Europass) 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

Date on which the proposal was sent to Parliament and the Council 
(document COM(2003)796 final – 2003/0307COD): 

17.12.2003 

Date  of  the  opinion  of  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee: 

28.04. 2004 

Date of the opinion issued by the Committee of the Regions: 

21.04.2004 

Date of Parliament’s opinion on first reading: 

22.04.2004 

Date of adoption of the common position (unanimously): 

21.10.2004 

2. 

PURPOSE OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSAL 

Following a recommendation expressed in the Copenhagen declaration of 30 November 2002, 
the proposal brings together in a single framework, in the form of a structured portfolio called 
Europass,  existing  documents  at  European  level  for  the  transparency  of  qualifications  and 
competences: the European CV, certificate and diploma supplements, the Common European 
Framework of Reference for languages and Europass. Integration into a single framework – 
available  from  the  start  in  electronic  form  and  on  paper  –  should  make  these  tools  more 
accessible, easier to promote and manage, and thus more effective. The Europass will be an 
open framework: in the future, it will be able to accept other documents aimed at improving 
transparency of competences, for example at sectoral level. The proposal is also intended to 
rationalise  implementation  structures,  asking  each  Member  State  to  nominate  a  national 
Europass centre responsible for coordinating any activity at national level deriving from the 
Decision, in cooperation with the relevant networks. 

EN 

2 

   EN 

 
 
 
3. 

COMMENTS ON THE COMMON POSITION 

3.1. 

Consideration of the amendments proposed by Parliament at first reading 

The  14  amendments  by  the  European  Parliament  incorporated  in  full  or  in  substance  in  the 
common position do not alter the content of the Commission’s initial proposal. 

3.2. 

Consideration of the changes introduced by the Council 

The Council introduced other changes, in particular amending the procedure and defining the 
criteria for introducing new documents in the Europass structure. The names of the documents 
included in the framework and of the implementation bodies are also slightly amended. These 
changes do not alter the content of the Commission’s initial proposal. 

4. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The Commission therefore considers the text of the common position to be acceptable. 

EN 

3 

   EN