EUROPASS-Training

1) OBJECTIVE

To enable a person undergoing work-linked training - including apprenticeship - to spend a period of training in another EU Member State and to establish at Community level a record of achievement in the form of a document known as "EUROPASS-Training" attesting to the completion of the training period.

2) ACT

Council Decision 51/99/EC of 21 December 1998 on the promotion of European pathways for work-linked training, including apprenticeship [Official Journal L 17 of 22.01.1999].

3) SUMMARY

Definitions

European pathways: where there is agreement on the use of the "EUROPASS-Training" document, any period of vocational training pursued by a person in a Member State (host Member State) other than the one (Member State of provenance) where the person is following his/her work-linked training in the context of the said training.

Person in work-linked training: any person of any age undergoing vocational training, irrespective of the level and including higher education. Such training, recognised or certified by the competent authorities of the Member State of provenance in accordance with its existing legislation, procedures and practices, involves structured periods of training in a company and, if necessary, in a training establishment or centre, whatever the person's status (work contract, apprenticeship contract, scholar or student).

Mentor: any person who, for a private or public employer, or for a training establishment or centre in the host Member State, has the task of assisting, informing, guiding and monitoring trainees throughout their "European pathway".

EUROPASS-Training: document proving that the holder has completed one or more periods of work-linked training or apprenticeship in another Member State under the conditions set out in the Decision.

Host partner: body responsible for the "European pathway" in the host Member State (company, training establishment or centre, etc.) under a partnership arrangement with the body responsible for organising the training in the Member State of provenance.

In keeping with their system of vocational training, Member States must adopt the necessary measures to ensure that persons in work-linked training can benefit from "European pathways", which:

• form an integral part of the training followed in the Member State of provenance;
• are the fruit of a partnership between the training establishment of provenance and the host partner, which lays down the content, the objectives, the duration and the procedures applicable to the European pathway;
• are monitored by a mentor;
• are certified by the body responsible for the training in the Member State of provenance.

A record of achievement, known as EUROPASS-Training, must be issued to all persons completing a European pathway. A Community information document, this record of achievement:

• specifies the vocational training in which the European pathway was completed, and the final qualification or diploma;
• specifies the sending and host organisations, and the content and duration of the European pathway;
• specifies the duties of the mentor, who is responsible for the person undergoing training;
• is issued by the body at the organisation of provenance responsible for the vocational training undertaken by the person concerned in the Member State of provenance, and is signed jointly by that body, the host partner and the trainee.

These provisions also apply when the European pathway includes a series of training periods in several Member States. As the content of the EUROPASS-Training document must be understood throughout the EU, it must affirm in the different EU languages that the training pathway or periods of training have been completed.

The Commission must ensure overall consistency between the implementation of the "European pathways" and the Community programmes and initiatives in the field of education and vocational training.

The Commission will be responsible for producing, issuing and monitoring the EUROPASS-Training records of achievement as appropriate, in close cooperation with the Member States. Each Member State must designate one or more bodies to be responsible for coordination and implementation at national level, in close cooperation with the social partners and, where appropriate, with representative organisations for work-linked training. Each Member State must take steps to facilitate access to "EUROPASS-Training", to allow for evaluation of the action undertaken and to promote equality of opportunity. The Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, will introduce a system of mutual information and coordination. The Commission and the Member States must take into account the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises and craft businesses and their specific requirements.

The funds available for implementing the support and accompanying measures are EUR 7.3 million from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004.

Three years after the adoption of the Decision, the Commission will submit to the European Parliament and 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.

See also

Additional information can be found on the Internet site of the competent Directorate-General by consulting the pages concerning the EUROPASS-Training initiative.

Last updated: 07.10.2005