This resulted in a declaration signed by Ministers for higher education in 29 European countries supporting a "European Higher Education Area".

The six aims of the declaration were as follows:

1.       adoption of easily readable and comparable degrees,

2.       adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles, undergraduate and postgraduate,

3.       establishment of a system of credits as a means of promoting widespread student mobility,

4.       promotion of mobility by overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement,

5.       promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance,

6.       promotion of necessary European dimensions in higher education.

What will be the practical effects of this declaration? This is hard to predict. The declaration was drawn up and adopted outside the European Union's institutions. It concerns the recognition of degrees for "academic" purposes, and we know that this will have repercussions on recognition for "professional" purposes. The social partners will therefore also become involved. Whatever the limitations of its present form, the declaration confirms that European measures in this area are needed urgently.

EUROCADRES-Flash n°19 (October 1999)