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Recognition of professional qualifications

Overall state of play:

Commission proposal: COM(2011)883, adopted by the Commission on 19 December 2011,
Legal act: Directive 2013/55/EU, adopted on 20 November 2013,
Transposition Deadline: 18 January 2016
Commission Staff Working Document on the Assessment of Stakeholders' experiences with the European Professional Card and the Alert Mechanism procedure, SWD(2018) 90, 9 April 2018
Implementation report: published in May 2020, COM(2020)191

State of play, main conclusions, outlook

The Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC) provides the European framework for the recognition of professional qualifications essential in the context of the free movement of professionals. In 2011, the Commission proposed a targeted revision of the Directive, and in 2013 an amending Directive was adopted by the legislator, aiming at simplifying the rules organising the recognition of professional qualifications.

Estimated savings and benefits

In 2011, the Commission estimated different cost savings in the impact assessment accompanying the proposal. Such savings relate to a reduction of the time national authorities need for assessing qualifications. It was estimated that there could be potential savings for citizens and businesses with the more limited use of the hard copies of the so-called certificates of conformity/good standings requested, as a consequence of the European Professional Card which has been implemented in relation to certain professions by way of implementing acts.

Taking into consideration the combined effect of the whole package, it was estimated that the modernisation of the Directive could reduce the costs linked to the assessment of the requests by 10%.

Potential savings for citizens and businesses concern the replacement of certificates of conformity by the European Professional Card - up to € 80 per case. Moreover, translation costs would be reduced.

REFIT Platform

In its opinion on diploma recognition and professional qualification (XX.1.a), the REFIT Platform considered that the European Commission regularly monitors the Database for Regulated Professions making sure that Member States effectively keep it up to date.

State of Play:

Adopted; COM(2011)883, adopted by the Commission on 19 December 2011

Which objective(s) did the Commission pursue?

The proposal aims at simplifying the rules organising the recognition of professional qualifications, reinforcing the safety and protection of patients/consumers and introducing a mutual evaluation exercise of regulated professions through which Member States were invited to actively perform a review and to modernize their regulations governing access to professions or professional titles.

The proposal contains lighter requirements for recognition of professional experience such as clarification and simplification of the conditions for temporary provision of services and mutual recognition of qualifications, extending the scope of automatic recognition and introduction of the partial access concept as well as of recognition of professional traineeships.

It also proposes an easier information-sharing among Member States through IMI (Internal Market Information system).

A European Professional Card (EPC) recognition procedure is introduced in order to facilitate recognition of qualifications; this is an electronic procedure based on IMI. The use of IMI becomes compulsory for administrative cooperation in this field.

In terms of access to information and electronic procedures: the scope of the PSCs under the Services Directive was clarified and MS must ensure that all recognition procedures can be accomplished on line.

Transparency and mutual evaluation of regulated professions aim at modernising regulation.

Estimated savings and benefits

All these measures facilitate and accelerate recognition procedures and improve access to the professions.

The use of IMI for administrative cooperation between competent authorities and for the EPC and also the use of the point of single contact reduce the administrative burden and costs for professionals and do no bring additional cost for Member States who will also benefit from savings related to the use of points of single contact. Taking into consideration the combined effect of the whole package, it was estimated that the modernisation of the Directive could reduce the costs linked to the assessment of requests by 10%.

Finally, a more flexible and transparent regulatory environment in Member States should also have a positive impact on the employment situation, in particular for young people, and to enhance economic growth, especially since professional services amount to around 9% of the GDP in the Union.

State of Play:

Adopted on 20 November 2013 - Directive 2013/55/EU

Outcome of legislative procedure

The adopted Directive includes all of the main REFIT objectives proposed by the Commission.

Estimated savings and benefits

Estimations of savings were not modified by amendments in legislative procedure.

State of Play:

Transposition Deadline 18 January 2016
Commission Staff Working Document on the Assessment of Stakeholders' experiences with the European Professional Card and the Alert Mechanism procedure, SWD(2018) 90, 9 April 2018
Implementation report published in May 2020, COM/2020/191

Implementation by Member States

In June 2018, Directive 2013/55/EU has been fully implemented by all Member States. The Commission assessed the conformity of the national legislation in all EU Member States with Directive 2005/36/EC as amended by Directive 2013/55/EU and sent letters of formal notice to the Member States’ authorities on 17 July 2018 raising non-conformity issues with EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications

In addition, stakeholder feedback and the usage statistics from January 2016 to November 2017 confirmed that both initiatives (the European Professional Card and the alert mechanism) responded well to the policy needs, enhance further safe professional mobility, provide added value compared to the 'traditional' processes and facilitate information exchanges. The assessment of stakeholder experiences also confirmed that the IMI system is the right platform for these initiatives.

Estimated savings and benefits

The Commission reported in 2020 on the implementation of the directive and included an assessment of the administrative simplification effects.

In the implementation report, the Commission concluded that the legal framework under the revised Directive is effective in boosting the mobility of professionals across the Member States. Although the use of modern technologies in the procedure to recognise professional qualifications can be considered a success, Member States must make continued efforts to ensure compliance with the requirements to provide information and e-government via the points of single contact. The Member States made progress in addressing various issues raised in the ongoing infringement proceedings, though some areas of concern remain. Several specific issues remain pending and may require sustained cooperation to resolve them in the Member States concerned.