Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in
particular Article 127 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189c of the Treaty,
Whereas the Treaty gives the Community the task of implementing a vocational
training policy which supports and supplements the action of Member States while
fully respecting their responsibility, in particular by promoting the mobility
of persons in training, but excluding any harmonisation of the laws and
regulations of the Member States;
Whereas the Council, in its Decision 63/266/EEC, adopted the general
principles and set a number of fundamental objectives for implementing a common
vocational training policy; whereas by Decision 94/819/EC it adopted the
Leonardo da Vinci programme for the implementation of a vocational training
policy of the European Community;
Whereas the Florence European Council asked the Commission to make a study
of the role of apprenticeship in the creation of jobs; whereas the Commission
stressed the importance of apprenticeship in its communication 'Promoting
apprenticeship training in Europe`;
Whereas the Council resolution of 18 December 1979 on linked work and
training for young persons advocates that the Member States should encourage
the development of effective links between training and work experience;
Whereas the Council resolution of 15 July 1996 calls on the Member
States to promote the transparency of vocational training certificates;
Whereas the conclusions adopted by the Council on 6 May 1996 on the
Commission's White Paper 'Teaching and learning: towards the learning society`
stress the need for cooperation between schools and the business sector;
whereas the 1998 employment guidelines, and the 1999 employment guidelines,
ask Member States to improve the employment prospects for young people by
equipping them with skills relevant to market requirements; whereas in that
context the Council invited the Member States to set up or develop
apprenticeship training where appropriate;
Whereas training establishments on the one hand and the business sector on
the other can be complementary fora for the acquisition of general, technical,
social and personal knowledge and skills; whereas in this connection,
work-linked training, including apprenticeship, makes a significant contribution
to a more effective social and occupational integration into working life and
the labour market; whereas it can benefit various target groups and various
levels of teaching and training, including higher education;
Whereas the Council resolution of 5 December 1994 on the quality and
attractiveness of vocational education and training stresses the importance of
work-linked training and the need to encourage periods of vocational training in
other Member States and to integrate those periods into national vocational
training programmes;
Whereas, in order to promote this mobility, it is desirable to establish a
document known as the 'EUROPASS Training` document to record at Community level
the period or periods of training in another Member State;
Whereas it is important to ensure the quality of such periods of
transnational mobility; whereas Member States have a particular responsibility
in this area; whereas the Commission, in close cooperation with the Member
States, should establish a procedure for exchanging information and coordinating
the activities and arrangements developed by Member States to implement this
Decision;
Whereas the Extraordinary European Council on Employment held in Luxembourg
acknowledged the decisive role played by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
as regards the creation of sustainable jobs;
Whereas work-linked training, including apprenticeship, in
micro-enterprises, SMEs and the crafts sector is an important aid to
employability; whereas their specific requirements in that area should be taken
into account;
Whereas trainees should be properly informed as to the relevant provisions
in force in the host Member State;
Whereas the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers
acknowledges the importance of combating all forms of discrimination, especially
those based on sex, colour, race, opinions and beliefs;
Whereas the Council, in its recommendation of 30 June 1993 on access to
continuing vocational training, encourages access for, and effective
participation by, women in continuing vocational training; whereas it is
therefore important to make sure that due account is taken of equal
opportunities in participation in European pathways and appropriate measures
must be taken to that end;
Wheres the Commission is required in cooperation with the Member States, to
ensure overall consistency between the implementation of this Decision and
Community programmes and initiatives in the fields of education, vocational
training and youth;
Whereas it is necessary to ensure continuous monitoring of the
implementation of this Decision; whereas the Commission is therefore invited to
submit a report to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and
Social Committee thereon and to put forward any necessary proposals for the
future;
Whereas three years after this Decision is adopted an assessment should be
made of its impact and of the experience gained, so that any corrective measures
needed can be adopted;
Whereas a financial reference amount within the meaning of point 2 of the
Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 6
March 1995 is included in this Decision with a view to facilitating the
introduction of the EUROPASS measure without prejudice to the powers of the
budget authority as defined by the Treaty; whereas Community financial support
is limited to an introductory stage between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2004;
Whereas in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and
proportionality as set out in Article 3b of the Treaty, the objectives of the
action envisaged for the establishment of the 'EUROPASS Training` document
require coordinated action at Community level, by reason of the diversity of
training systems and structures in the Member States; whereas this Decision does
not go beyond what is necessary to achieve those objectives,
This Decision established a document known as the 'EUROPASS Training` on the
basis of the common principles defined in Article 3. It is intended as a record
at Community level of the period or periods of training which a person
undergoing work-linked training, including apprenticeship, has followed in a
Member State other than that in which his/her training is based (known as
'European pathway(s)`).
The use of this record and participation in a 'European pathway` is voluntary
and does not impose any obligations or confer any rights other than those
defined below.
For the purposes of the Decision, and taking account of the differences in the
systems and arrangements for work-linked training, including apprenticeship, in
the Member States, the following definitions shall apply:
'European pathway` means, where it has been agreed to use the EUROPASS
Training, any period of vocational training, which is completed by a person in a
Member State (host Member State) other than the one (Member State of provenance)
where his or her work-linked training is based, which forms part of that
work-linked training;
'person in work-linked training` means any person, of whatever age, in
vocational training, at any level including higher education. This training,
recognised or certified by the competent authorities in the Member State of
provenance according to its own legislation, procedures or practices, involves
structured periods of training in an undertaking and, where appropriate, in a
training establishment or centre, whatever the person's status (contract of
employment, apprenticeship contract, pupil or student);
'mentor` means any person with a private or public employer or a training
establishment or centre in the host Member State who has the task of assisting,
informing, guiding and monitoring trainees during their 'European pathway`;
'EUROPASS Training` means a document establishing that the holder has
completed one or more periods of work-linked training, including apprenticeship,
in another Member State under the conditions defined in this Decision;
'host partner` means any body in the host Member State (inter alia private or
public employer, training establishment or centre) with which a partnership with
the body responsible for organising the training in the Member State of
provenance has been established, for the completion of a European pathway.
The following conditions shall apply to the EUROPASS Training:
each European pathway shall form part of the training followed in the Member
State of provenance, according to its own legislation, procedures or practices;
the body responsible for organising the training in the Member State of
provenance and the host partner shall agree within the context of the
partnership on the content, objectives, duration and the practicalities of the
European pathway;
the European pathways shall be monitored and supervised by a mentor.
A Community information document known as the 'EUROPASS Training`, the
contents and presentation of which are described in the Annex, shall be issued
by the body responsible for organising the training in the Member State of
provenance to all persons completing a European pathway.
The EUROPASS Training document shall:
specify the vocational training followed in the course of which the European
pathway was completed and the qualification, diploma, title or other certificate
to which the training leads;
specify that the European pathway forms part of the training followed in the
Member State of provenance, according to its own legislation, procedures or
practices;
identify the content of the European pathway, providing relevant details of
any work experience or training followed during the pathway and, where
appropriate, the skills acquired and the method of evaluation used;
indicate the duration of the European pathway organised by the host partner
during the work experience or training;
identify the host partner;
identify the mentor's function;
be issued by the body responsible for organising the training in the Member
State of provenance. It shall contain, for each European pathway, a record which
shall form an integral part of the EUROPASS Training, completed by the host
partner and signed by him/her and by the holder.
With due regard for the procedures and resources specific to Community
programmes and initiatives in education and vocational training, the Commission,
in cooperation with the Member States, shall ensure overall consistency between
the implementation of this Decision and those programmes and initiatives.
The Commission shall be responsible for the production and appropriate
dissemination and monitoring of the EUROPASS Training in close cooperation with
the Member States. To that end, each Member State shall designate one or more
bodies responsible for ensuring implementation at national level, in close
cooperation with the social partners and, where appropriate, with representative
organisations for work-linked training.
To that end, each Member State shall take steps to:
facilitate access to the EUROPASS Training by disseminating appropriate
information;
allow an evaluation of the actions implemented, and
facilitate equal opportunities, in particular by raising awareness among all
relevant actors.
In close cooperation with the Member States, the Commission shall set up a
coordination and mutual information system.
In implementing the provisions of this Decision, the Commission and the
Member States shall take account of the importance of SMEs and crafts and of
their particular needs.
The financial reference amount for the implementation of Article 6(1), (3) and
(4) for the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004 shall be ECU 7,3 million.
The annual appropriations shall be authorised by the budget authority within the
limits of the financial perspective.
Three years after the adoption of this Decision the Commission shall submit to
the European Parliament and the Council a report on its implementation, evaluate
the impact of the Decision on the promotion of mobility in work-linked training,
including apprenticeship, propose any further corrective measures designed to
make it more effective and make any proposals it deems appropriate, including
budgetary proposals.
