Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Evaluation of the European Qualification Framework (EQF). Implementation of the Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) promotes lifelong learning and improves learner and worker mobility, employability and social integration by creating a European reference framework for qualifications systems. The EQF makes it easier to compare and recognise the qualifications of millions of graduates looking for further learning opportunities or entering the labour market across Europe each year.

The EQF represents a new approach to European cooperation on qualifications. It introduces eight reference levels described in terms of learning outcomes, spanning all forms and levels of qualifications. This focus on learning outcomes puts the learner at the centre, and is important when comparing and recognising qualifications from different countries and different learning contexts.

The Commission has consistently underlined the importance of supporting the comparability of skills and qualifications across the EU, especially in the context of today’s high unemployment levels, as doing so makes it easier for learners and workers to move across countries and occupations.

Enabling learners and workers to present their skills and qualifications acquired in formal, non-formal or informal learning environments is especially important in the context of Europe 2020 flagship initiatives ‘Youth on the move’, the ‘Agenda for new skills and jobs’ and the ‘Digital Agenda’, as well as the ‘Towards a job-rich recovery’ Employment Package and the Council recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. To support this work and ensure that skills and qualifications can be easily recognised across borders, the Commission announced its intention to create a ‘European Area for Skills and Qualifications’ as part of its ‘Rethinking Education’ initiative.

The EQF is stimulating national governments to make recognising qualifications easier and more transparent: 36 countries voluntarily participate in the EQF (28 EU Member States, five candidate countries, and Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).

This report presents the EQF experience so far and discusses possible implications for the future. It looks at whether the recommendation in its current form can cope with new challenges caused by rapid socio-economic and technological changes, and if it fosters flexible learning.

This evaluation comes at a time of particular significance, to address high unemployment and the increasing number of available learning opportunities and qualifications. Challenges include the increasing number of qualifications offered by private providers, more international qualifications, and the recent emergence of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which have the potential to reach many students.

This evaluation, together with the Europass and EQAVET evaluations and the progress report on quality assurance in higher education, will help identify challenges for and possible improvements to the European Area of Skills and Qualifications.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)897: Follow the progress of this report through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:897:FIN

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