In 2008, the European Parliament and the Council accepted a recommendation about the introduction of the European Qualification Framework (EQF) of life-long learning and prepared a recommendation to member states on how to adjust their national qualifications to the EQF. The government of Hungary made a decision about creating a qualification framework and joining the EQF in 2008. It was at this point that the government established an inter-ministerial committee which was responsible for developing the framework.
In 2011, the government modified the name of the framework to Hungarian Qualification Framework (from National Qualification Framework). Besides, the title of the inter-ministerial committee was altered to HuQF Professional Working Group. As a result, of the first phases of developments, in 2012, the government decided that the HuQF had to define the learning outcomes of the Hungarian Qualification Framework on eight levels and that the characteristic features describing each level, the so-called descriptors, had to be determined on the basis of knowledge, skills, attitude, and autonomy and responsibility.
In 2014, the government accepted the classification of qualifications regarding public education, vocational training and higher education to HuQF levels. In 2015, the European Commission approved the HuQF, the levelling of qualifications into the HuQF and the verification of referencing the HuQF to the EQF through its advisory group.
Consequently, in addition to the HuQF level, qualifications classified in the HuQF are entitled to adopt the relevant EQF descriptor.
In 2017, the Council accepted a new recommendation about the EQF, which defines further responsibilities to member states and to the European Commission.