One week after an unsuccessful attempt (see EUROPE 13631/22), and ahead of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council on 12 and 13 May, the representatives of the Member States to the European Union (Coreper I) approved on Wednesday 7 May the resolution on the creation of a ‘European Diploma’ label and the next steps towards a common diploma (see EUROPE 13531/2).
According to several diplomatic sources, Hungary had sought guarantees that it would be reintegrated into certain European funding programmes.
The Member State is still affected by a partial suspension of European funds, including Erasmus+, as part of the conditionality mechanism linked to the rule of law.
According to notes consulted by Agence Europe following the meeting, changes were made to the final text in order to reach a compromise. A new clause (recital 14) has been included to take greater account of national legal frameworks.
The text now specifies that the planned actions will have to be implemented in line with existing education and training systems at national level, a wording that should reassure those States, such as Hungary, that have brandished respect for the principle of subsidiarity (recital 15).
The resolution also ensures consistency with another EU Council recommendation on the establishment of a European quality assurance and recognition system in higher education.
In an initial phase of work, the Member States will invite the Commission to formulate a set of common characterisations and procedures to ensure compliance with shared criteria. In addition, the Member States have stressed that this work must respect national competences.
This resolution touches on the next steps towards a common diploma (see EUROPE 13531/2) and forms part of the action plan presented by the European Commission in March 2024 (see EUROPE 13380/3) to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education and facilitate the automatic recognition of diplomas. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)