Brussels, 01/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - Europass, the single community framework for transparency in qualifications and competencies, became a reality on 31 January. The Luxembourg Presidency and the European Commission, represented by Commissioner Jan Figel, officially launched it in Luxembourg on Monday, at a conference attended by almost 300 representatives of the world of education and training and the social partners of 32 European countries. The initiative aims to facilitate the mobility of students and workers on the European market. Europass proposes a single portfolio of five documents bringing together information on the education and qualifications of job applicants, which will be used throughout the 25 Member States. Created at the end of 2004, Europass is one of three complementary instruments to support mobility under the European strategy “Education and training 2010”, together with the “Ploteus” portal launched in 2002 (information on education and training opportunities throughout Europe) and the “European Qualifications Framework” which is now being developed. “For all citizens that apply for a job or a learning opportunity, it is vital that their qualifications and competences are clearly understood and properly appreciated. Europass will help them to do so anywhere in Europe, as well as in their own Member State”, said Jan Figel, reiterating the Commission's ambition to ensure that 3 million citizens have used Europass by 2010.
Two initiatives have been planned to teach the citizens about the opportunities offered to them by Europass: -the Europass portal: currently available in English and French, it will cover all the other EU languages by the end of February. It will allow citizens to fill in their own Europass CV and passport in Europass languages online (http: //europass.cedefop.eu.int). -Network of national Europass centres: in each country, a national Europass centre will promote the new instrument and coordinate all related activities, in cooperation with the organisations, networks and authorities concerned, and with the social partners.