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European Union Office in Kosovo Manages the EU funded project "Support to Recognition of Professional Qualifications"

two year technichal assistance project, implemented by WEglobal     

OBJECTIVES

HARMONIZATION

of the legislative and regulatory framework on the recognition of professional qualifications, and institutional set up

CAPACITY BUILDING

of public and private institutions to implement the recognition of professional qualifications

MAKING THE PROFESSIONAL

qualifications more visible and increasing the recognation awareness.

EXPECTED PROJECT OUTPUTS

The Internal Market is the foundation of the European Union. A territory without internal borders or regulatory obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, capital and people also known as the four basic freedoms. A well-functioning Internal/Single Market stimulates competition, aids trade, improves efficiency and raises quality.

One of the most important tools the EU has to promote and strengthen the Internal Market is to harmonize the rules at the level of EU such as the Services Directive 123/06/EC and the Professional Qualifications Directives 36/05 & 55/13/EC. It is critical that the EU Member States (MS) stimulate the development of the service economy and make better use of the potential of the Single Market for Services as they represent 2/3 of the EU economy and account for approximately 90% of job creation.

An important part of the obligations deriving from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Kosovo and the EU is the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ), part of Chapter 3 Right of establishment and freedom to provide services. The SAA is the main legal document for the relations between Kosovo and the EU.

Learn more

The key project

target audience

PRIMARY Beneficiary:

  • Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Division for Regulated Professions
  • Legal Department
  • The Future National Contact Point

Other Relevant Beneficiaries:

  • State Council for the Regulated Professions
  • Ministry of Industry,
  • Entrepreneurship and Trade
  • Line Ministries,
  • Professional Chambers (Medical Doctors, Dentists, Nurses and Midwives, Pharmacists, Veterinary Surgeons and Architects),
  • Agency for Gender Equality.

Temporary mobility

Professionals may provide their services in another Member State on a temporary and occasional basis from their place of establishment in their home country.

The destination country may ask for a prior declaration, but they do not have to go through the recognition procedures.

This does not apply to professions that have public health and safety implications, for which Member States may require prior recognition of their qualification under Article 7(4) of the directive.

PERMANENT ESTABLISHMENT

The directive provides for three
qualification recognition systems:

  • Automatic recognition for professions whose minimum training conditions are harmonised to a certain extent at EU level: doctors, nurses responsible for general care, dentists, veterinary surgeons, midwives, pharmacists and architects;
  • Automatic recognition for certain occupations based on their professional experience: professionals in crafts, trades and industry;
  • The general system for the abovementioned professions which are not covered by the automatic recognition system is based on the principle of mutual recognition of qualifications.

The general system also applies to the other regulated professions where access is granted to any individual who can demonstrate that he or she is fully qualified in their home country. However, if the authorities of the host country find significant differences between the training acquired in the individual’s home country and that required for the same activity in their country, they can offer the individual the choice of an adaptation period or an aptitude test. The professional experience of the applicant has to be taken into account when considering the imposition and extent of such compensation measures. 

Partial access

  • The Directive introduced the principle of partial access to a profession where the activities covered by a regulated profession differ from one country to another.
  • This can be useful for professionals working in a genuine sector of the economy that does not exist as a profession in its own right in the Member State to which they wish to move.

Language checks

  • The directive only allows host countries to carry out systematic language checks for professions that have implications on patient safety.
  • Language checks should take place only after the host country has recognised the qualification, should be limited to the knowledge of one official or administrative language of the host country and should be proportionate to the profession to be pursued.

European professional card

  • The Directive, as amended by Directive 2013/55/EU, provides for the possibility of creating a European professional card (EPC) for selected professions. This allows professionals to have their qualifications recognised more simply and rapidly through a standardised electronic procedure. The card is based on the use of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) and is issued in the form of an electronic certificate.
  • The EPC has already been implemented in the first wave for nurses responsible for general care, physiotherapists, pharmacists, mountain guides and real-estate agents.

Access to online information and procedures

  • Member States must make all information on recognition of qualifications for all regulated professions available through Points of Single Contact.
  • Professionals should be able to complete the procedures and formalities covered by the directive online through the point of single contact or the relevant authorities in charge of the profession.
  • Assistance centres in each Member State must provide advice and assistance to individual cases.

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