The recognition of qualifications in the EU has a long history. Early action on the topic dates back to the inception of European integration. Cooperation on recognition of qualifications was initiated in the context of the internal market and in the context of a shared competence. The 1992 Maastricht Treaty subsequently introduced an explicit competence on education—and thereby another avenue to cooperate on recognition of qualifications. However, the supporting nature of this competence significantly limited possibilities for legislative action in the EU context. In turn, this enabled action on recognition by actors beyond the EU. The present chapter explores the history of the recognition of qualifications helping to explain the present-day multitude of actors and instruments perceived on the topic and serves as a precursor to the discussion on the typology and use of competences in Chapter “ Challenging Convention: Theory, Competences & The Grey Area of Recognition ”.