The free circulation of people, goods and services is one of the driving forces for Europe’s viable development. One of the European Union’s basic priorities is to ensure practicable and efficient mobility for its citizens. Taking this into account, it makes every effort to encourage the free and easy circulation of citizens who wish to move within its borders for educational and professional purposes.

Europass was enacted in 2004 by decree of the European Parliament and the EU Council in order to create a common European framework for transparency of professional qualifications and skills since the lack of such a framework was considered to be an obstacle in the mobility and a limitation on the flexibility of the European job market.

In this context, the European Council designed the Europass Documents, one of which is the Europass Certificate Supplement.

The Europass Certificate Supplement is issued to individuals who already hold a vocational training certificate. It adds certain explanatory information to the information already included in the original certificate, thus facilitating its comprehension, especially by employers or organisations outside the country where it was issued.

The Europass Certificate Supplement is the same for all holders of the same certificate and it provides information regarding:

• the skills and abilities acquired;
• the range of job positions to which the certificate holder has access;
• the issuing and certification bodies (the UK National Europass Centre and City & Guilds);
• the level of the certificate;
• the admission requirements and the opportunities for advancing to the next educational level.
 
City & Guilds is the first British  certification organisation to issue the Europass Certificate Supplement and all the City & Guilds Business Skills qualifications are also accompanied by the corresponding Europass.

The Europass Certificate Supplement is issued by every National Europass Centre, which collaborates with the bodies awarding the original vocational training certificates.

The Europass Certificate Supplement is not a substitute for the original certificate. It does, however, contribute to the proper assessment of the original certificate and, as such, facilitates its comprehension, especially by employers and educational institutions outside the country it was issued. 

In the corresponding links on the right side of the page you will find samples of Business Skills Europass Certificate Supplements.