Benelux

Benelux inspires Europe with cross-border recognition of diplomas

08 Sep. 2026

How can citizens more easily study, work and put their talents to use across borders? The Benelux countries see the automatic recognition of higher education qualifications as an important lever to strengthen mobility and have already taken concrete steps to promote it. An approach that is now attracting growing interest across Europe.

During a meeting hosted by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Brussels by Ambassador Brechje Schwachöfer, the members of the Benelux College, Secretary-General Ariadne Petridis and Deputy Secretary-General Tom Köller, presented the Benelux experience to more than twenty ambassadors and representatives of countries from the European Higher Education Area.

At the heart of the discussion was the Multilateral Treaty on the Automatic Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education. The treaty, concluded together with the Baltic States, entered into force in 2024 and allows for the automatic recognition of qualification levels between the participating countries.

Less administration, more opportunities for students and workers

For students and workers, automatic recognition of qualifications can remove a significant barrier. Those wishing to study or work in another treaty country no longer need to go through a separate recognition procedure each time or incur additional costs.

This makes it easier, for example, to continue studies across the border, seek a first job in another country, or work as a qualified professional in the European labour market.

A simplified system also benefits educational institutions and employers. Qualifications become more transparent and it becomes easier to make use of talent across national borders.

From Benelux to Europe

Following agreements reached within the Benelux in 2015 and 2018, the three countries joined forces with the Baltic States to conclude the Multilateral Treaty on the Automatic Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education.

The treaty was deliberately designed as an open framework, allowing other countries within the European Higher Education Area to join. Poland and Ireland are expected to accede to the treaty in the near future.

Each new participant expands the reach of the arrangement. In this way, an approach that began within the Benelux can evolve into a broader European solution for the mobility of students and workers.

Benelux as a testing ground

The recognition of qualifications is an example of how cooperation between three neighbouring countries can lead to solutions that are also applicable beyond the Benelux region.

For more than eighty years, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have worked together on practical solutions to cross-border challenges. This cooperation covers areas such as security, the economy and sustainability.

The meeting in Brussels provided the Benelux countries with an opportunity to share their experience directly with other European countries. According to the Benelux, the growing interest in automatic recognition of qualifications demonstrates that cross-border cooperation can not only deliver regional benefits but also provide inspiration for Europe as a whole.

Linked to Benelux Day

The meeting took place as part of the activities surrounding Benelux Day on 5 September 2026. On that day, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg highlighted the added value of their cooperation.

From joint police operations to the recognition of qualifications, the underlying principle remains the same: by working together across borders, citizens, businesses and public authorities can reduce the obstacles created by national boundaries.

The recognition of qualifications illustrates how a practical Benelux solution can grow into an instrument with a wider European impact.