Professional Qualifications Directive

Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD) and Professional Recognition Assistance (PRA) Working Group

Fritz Auweck, Chair, BAK/BDLA, Germany
Urszula Forczek-Brataniec, Secretary General, SAK, Poland
Diana Culescu, President ASOP, Romania
Tony Williams, past President, ILI, Ireland

Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD) 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications came into force in 2007.

Free movement of professionals

Professionals in the EU can move across borders and practice their occupation or provide services abroad. The system of recognition of professional qualifications in the EU is
governed by Directive 2005/36/EC, recently amended by Directive 2013/55/EC. The directive provides a modern EU system of recognition of professional experience and promotes automatic recognition of professional experience across the EU.

For more information about Directive please consult EC Single market Free movement of Professionals

Recognition of professional qualifications in practice

In practice, the recognition of professional qualifications laid down in Directive 2005/36/EC enables the free movement of professionals within the EU. Other professions fall under the scope of different legislation. Recognition of Professional Qualifications in another EU Member State Recognition of professional qualifications obtained in another EU Member State is essential to establish an internal market forprofessional services. The regime governing the recognition of professional qualifications based on Directive 2005/36/EC has been modernised with Directive 2013/55/EU of 20 November 2013. The revised Professional Qualifications Directive (PQD) had to be transposed by all EU Member States by 18 January 2016. Directive 2005/36/EC also applies in general to regulated professions,unless otherwise stated.

Please consult European Commission Userguide on recognition of professional qualifications EC Guidelines for Recognition of Professional Qualifications

In order for a profession to be recognised at National level, there are Assistance centres which provide information on the recognition of professional qualifications in every EU country and guide professionals through the administrative formalities https://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/free-movement-professionals_en

List of national web sites concerning regulated professions.