More on IELTS banding and CEFR

Thanks to Cambridge ESOL for providing clarification:

"The issue of how IELTS band scores align with the CEFR levels is not quite as straightforward as the tables on your website imply - but this could be due in some part to the format of the tables, which, being a grid, necessarily implies a definite relationship between IELTS bands and CEFR levels, by placing them in specific regions of the grid.

However, since IELTS and the CEFR developed separately, such a definite relationship should not really be expected to exist.

We deliberately haven't made strong claims on the IELTS website about exact equivalence between assessment products or the scores they generate, but what the table shows is our perception that C2 performance would come in a little above the band 7 threshold (though not as high as 7.5).It is very difficult to give exact comparisons between IELTS and CPE due to the different design, purpose and format of the examinations. It is also the case that a candidate's aptitude and preparation for a particular type of test will vary from individual to individual and some candidates are more likely to perform better in certain kinds of test that others."

IELTS band scores compared to CPE

On the Exam English home page the comparison chart indicates that CPE is euivalent to IELTS band 7.5.
This is based on documents published by IELTS and the British Council, but are they correct?

Please refer to the Cambridge ESOL Research Notes : Issue 19 /February 2005/pages 19-24 - on Figure 4 : Comparisons of IELTS, CSW and CEFR bands where they note that \"High IELTS performance bands 8 and the top Band 9 appear to be the level of C2, CPE. Indications from the study are also that CSW level 5 (CEFR C2) stretches from high IELTS Band 8 to 9."

I am seeking clarification from Cambridge ESOL

Thank you to the Exam English visitor who pointed this out.