Launched in 2005, Europass provides a coordinated portfolio of documents helping people to describe what they know and can do in a way that is clearly and easily understood throughout Europe.

The Europass portfolio consists of five documents.

• Europass CV.
• Europass Language Passport.
• Europass Mobility records a learning experience abroad, such as an academic exchange or a stage in a company – making it more visible for employers.
• The Europass Diploma Supplement is extremely valuable for academic recognition. Developed jointly with the Council of Europe and UNESCO, it accompanies a higher education diploma issued by a national organisation.
• The Europass Certificate Supplement explains in terms of competences a vocational training certificate, so that employers can better appreciate what its holders can do.

The Europass CV is at the heart of the initiative and its single most successful component so far. About 3.1 million Europeans have created CVs on the Europass portal since 2005, with more than 900,000 since the beginning of 2008 alone. The evaluation attributes this to the fact that the Europass CV is a useful tool for self-assessment based on learning outcomes (what a learner knows, understands and is able to do).

What is Europass?

Europass is a direct service to citizens, which aims at helping them make their qualifications and competences clearly and easily understood throughout Europe. It is a coordinated portfolio of documents, which in particular improves the communication between job applicants and employers, regardless of borders.

Europass also helps citizens and organisations focus on the actual skills and competences, for application and recruitment purposes as well as for more general development purposes.