The Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English was created on the initiative of the University of Michigan and the Hellenic American Union in 1992. For the creation and development of these examinations, the University of Michigan has used its many years of experience in the teaching of English and in the development and conduct of examinations, especially in the field of English language proficiency. The ECCE tests were carried out on trial with 375 adults and adolescents in Athens in May 1993 and later that year, they took their final form. The ECCE examinations were officially held for the first time in Greece in May 1994 and worldwide in June 1995.
The Competency certificate is an official certificate of English proficiency at level B2, as defined by the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It is awarded by the University of Michigan, one of the leading U.S. universities in the field of language research, with long experience in the creation and development of English language tests.
ECCE is officially recognized by the Greek State (Supreme Personnel Selection Board) and by the private sector (e.g. airlines, insurance and shipping companies, travel agencies, private banks, etc.) as a certificate of English language proficiency at level B2. It is also recognised in various countries and can be used for academic and professional purposes requiring certification of language proficiency at this level.