The network of the national information centers for questions of the academic recognition (NARIC), which was installed by the EU in1984 together with the European network of information Centres (ENIC), established by the Unesco, for many years gathered information on the recognition of diplomas and studie achievements abroad. Simultaneously a European system was created for the acceptance of study achievements (ECTS), which strives for the transparency of qualifications of national degrees in the EU.

The EU commission issued a report called "quality indicators" in June 2002. 15 quality indicators were acquired for lifelong learning in Europe. The European council concluded their goal to make the systems of the general and professional education a worldwide quality reference until 2002.