European Commission

The Green Paper aimed at gathering stakeholders’ views on a modernisation of the Professional Qualifications Directive (Directive 2005/36/EC).

This Directive, adopted in 2005, sets the rules for mutual recognition of professional qualifications between Member States. Beyond a few innovations, it mainly consolidated and simplified 15 previous Directives, some of which dated back to the 1960s.

The reform of the system of recognition of professional qualifications as a means to facilitate mobility is one of the priority actions proposed by the Commission in the Single Market Act. With the view to preparing this reform, the Commission wishes to consult stakeholders on

• new approaches to mobility
• ways to build on achievements
• and on the modernisation of the automatic recognition

• Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive (Green Paper - COM(2011)367)

In order to give feedback about the reactions to the Green paper, the Commission organises a public Conference on the Modernisation of the Professional Qualifications Directive on the 7^th November 2011. All interested parties are invited to attend.

• More about the conference

• Evaluation report
• Summary of the replies to the public consultation
• Public Consultation on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive in January 2011
• Commission staff working paper on the transposition and implementation of the Directive.
• Experience reports from national competent authorities.
• Directive 2005/36/EC – User Guide.
• Code of conduct as approved by the Group of Coordinators.
• More about: Free movement of professionals

• More than 400 contributions were received

• Summary of the contributions received
• View the contributions