Do joint European vocational training standards stand a chance? Recognition and transparency of qualifications

The paper describes chronologically the attempts of the European Union to achieve a common vocational training policy, harmonize educational and training standards in order to support the free movement of labour, and develop a free European space for services. Despite some advances in the recognition and comparability of professional and vocational qualifications, at the political level progress in this matter has been rather limited. Education and vocational training systems and bureaucracies seem to resist a harmonization of their structures, as often do the social, labour law and collective agreement reference systems as well. More recently, the question of whether to deepen and/or expand the EU and the introduction of the EMU has once again turned attention from the establishment of a joint vocational training policy and the development of minimum criteria and standards. An understanding of the historical build-up leading to the current deadlock threatening on all sides may help to avert a stalemate if correct conclusions are drawn from the experience, successes and failures to date. After taking stock of the situation the author makes a few recommendations for the work to come.