On Thursday 15 January, the European Parliament backed the arrangements for the new European framework for the transparency of qualifications and skills (Europass). In line with the agreement reached with the Council of the EU on 13 December, the decision means that the tool for European skills, competences, qualifications and occupations (ESCO) is no longer the reference in this matter (see EUROPE 11926).
The decision aims to “promote transparency and understanding of skills and qualifications acquired in formal, non formal and informal contexts, including in favour of practical experience, mobility and volunteering”. It highlights the Europass framework created in 2005 in order to adapt it to the digital environment (see EUROPE 11638). In concrete terms, it creates an improved online tool for establishing CVs and giving a profile of skills, free self-assessment of skills tools, information targeted on the possibilities of apprenticeship throughout Europe, information and assistance intended to help individuals have their qualifications known as well as strategic monitoring of the labour market’s need for skills.
Unlike the Commission’s proposal, the final text does not compel member states to use the ESCO classification tool. It stipulates, however, that member states may use it on a voluntary basis after having tried and assessed it. “We are not yet at the stage of having a single terminology. ESCO is still a project that has to be tested in real situations before it can be generalised”, said Thomas Mann (EPP, Germany), co-rapporteur on this issue, who addressed the plenary the day before the vote. The other co-rapporteur, Svetoslav Hristov Malinov (EPP, Bulgaria) welcomed the new provisions in favour of persons with disabilities and data protection. The text may be consulted at: http://bit.ly/2FMHAwf . (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)