Since the end of the 90s, the food product sector (NACE 10, Manufacture of food products) has been constantly adapting to the demands of a market characterised by globalisation, technological and organisational innovation, pressure from retailers and health and safety, quality and environmental regulations (CIAA, 2009).Companies in the sector recognise that vocational qualifications are the most important strategic factor in successfully meeting the challenges of the market; however, the sector still receives workers with low levels of qualifications (below EQF 4: eg. early school-leavers, immigrants, unqualified adults and young people) and non-formal and informal learning are the main resource for adapting workers’ qualifications to the needs of companies. Since the 2002 Copenhagen Summit, social partners have been involved in the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) which establishes a common methodological framework to facilitate the transfer of learning credits from one qualification system to another and promote trans-national mobility and access to lifelong learning for workers. The FOOD-ECVET project proposes incorporating the results of Food-Skills (ES/08/LLP-LdV/TOI-149065) in order to facilitate understanding of the ECVET model by social partners in the food sector and improve the participation of workers with low-levels of qualifications in the sector’s educational and vocational training and lifelong learning programmes.FOOD-ECVET has the following objectives:· To identify the ECVET situation in EU countries and analyse the opportunities for its application to the food industry through the description of learning outcomes, the roles of ECVET competent institutions (especially social partners) transfer of credits, appraisal, learning agreements and ECVET points. · To establish an exchange of opinions and best practices among social partners, public administrations, companies and training centres to propose and promote a “Guide to the application of the ECVET in the food sector”.· To prepare e-learning material for the training of training officers in the sector based on the sector’s needs and the opportunities for applying the ECVET model. · To carry out a pilot course for training officers in the sector in different countries, checking the results and creating a proposed training strategy for the sector.· To validate, evaluate, disseminate and promote the results of the project. The following organizations are involved in the project: -VET centres linked to social partners in the food sector: FESSA (Spain), IFES (Spain), IDEAS, (Ireland), BFW (Germany).-Universities: CERES (Italy). Subcontracting: Grupo Cifo-UAB (Spain). -Consultancy: Europroject (Bulgaria), KAI (United Kingdom).-Technological partner: EMMERCE (Sweden).