The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) commissioned 12 experts in the vocational training (VT) systems of the individual member states of the European Community (EC) to develop monographs describing the EC members' VT systems and procedures/systems for certifying vocational qualifications. The 12 national studies were then analyzed to identify similarities and differences among the certification systems with respect to the following: underlying concepts, creation, and legal and institutional structures involved in implementation; access to qualifications; organizing principles of certification and examinations and examiners; trends and recent developments; and issues in certifying VT. The analysis revealed that all 12 countries are concerned with access to and parity of VT but are attempting to address both issues in different ways. To date, there is no official infrastructure to advise EC members on mobility of vocational trainees/students and workers between countries; however, pan-European projects are investigating the possibility of establishing equivalencies, and various bilateral agreements are experimenting with joint accreditation. (Appended are the following: overview of VT qualifications in the EC, definitions of tasks, acronyms list, and levels of qualification used by CEDEFOP in its research on comparability. Contains 23 references.) (MN)