The Council held a debate on a draft directive aimed at improving the system of recognition of professional qualifications, with the purpose of further facilitating mobility of skilled workers across the EU. The outcome of the debate provides political guidance for future work.
A proposal for a directive amending the Professional Qualifications Directive was presented by the Commission on 19 December 2011 (18899/11). It proposes inter alia the creation of a European professional card, some changes in the directive (such as the insertion of the principle of partial access to certain professions, the clarification of some training requirements, etc.), as well as measures aiming at better exploiting existing instruments such as the Internal Market Information (IMI) system.
At the debate, ministers expressed views on two main aspects of the reform: the creation and practical implementation of the European professional card and the proposed transparency exercise which would subsequently lead to mutual evaluations and, possibly, a simplification of the national legal frameworks for the regulated professions. Many delegations pointed out the potential benefits that the instauration of a professional card could bring in the field of mobility of skilled workers, as far as it is conceived as a cost-effective mechanism and proves to have EU added value.
Delegations broadly acknowledged the need to look into ways for reducing the number of regulated professions in the Member States so as to enlarge access to these professions by removing unjustified regulatory barriers.
The European professional card would be an electronic certificate issued by the professional's country of departure that would facilitate the automatic recognition in the host country (the country where the professional seeks establishment). The application of professional cards would be done through the national competent authorities using the IMI system.
The introduction of professional cards would be considered for a particular profession where:
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there is clear interest from the professionals, the national authorities and the business community;
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the mobility of the professionals concerned has a significant potential; and
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the profession is regulated in a significant number of Member States.
Currently, some 800 categories of regulated professions exist across the 27 EU members. A regulated profession implies that access to the profession is subject to a person holding a specific qualification, such as a university diploma, and that activities are reserved to holders of such qualifications.
The new proposal, which will update the Professional Qualifications Directive adopted in 2005 requires the agreement of the European Parliament.
© European Council
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