The project builds upon a previously funded Leonardo project, which developed guidelines for the hairdressing industry, by establishing a system for transnational recognition of hairdressing competencies to promote the mobility of hairdressers in the European labour market. In promoting high quality European certification in hairdressing the project sets out to improve the professional image of hairdressing. The project targets hairdressing training institutions and hairdressing salons where training is undertaken. Project partners will undertake a training 'needs analysis' in the different partner countries. Based on this, the project will outline training programmes targeted at two groups; namely, hairdressing salon employees (standard level), and salon owners (management level). A quality assurance system, based on five certification systems, will be developed to examine hairdressing competencies in the different partner countries and to promote mutual accreditation of competencies. In this regard, partner countries will maintain their national training methods and examination standards if these meet or excel those of the required common standard identified through the training needs analysis. The validity of training and accreditation will be assessed by the project partners prior to finalisation of the certification process. The project will develop guidelines for mutual recognition of competencies in hairdressing that reflect the project's ambitions regarding a European hairdressing certificate. These guidelines will be accompanied by a code of conduct for hairdressers. The project will use its own website, along with representation of the project partners at different meetings and liaison with expert advisors, to promote the end results.