No 5 (October 96/Octobre 96/Oktober 96)

A practical step-by-step guide to national and EU mechanisms governing the recognition of lawyers' qualifications has been established on a World Wide Web site developed by Dr. Julian Lonbay of the Institute of European Law, University of Birmingham in the UK.

The Web site is aimed at lawyers wishing to practice in another Member State. They are entitled to do so under the terms of two Community Directives, namely the Directive on a general system of recognition of professional qualifications awarded on completion of a higher education course of more than three years duration following the equivalent of A-levels/baccalauréat (Directive 89/48/EEC - see SMN N.3) and the Directive on facilitating the effective exercise by lawyers of the freedom to provide services (77/249/EEC).

The Web site allows users to easily check:

• provisions of both national and EU law governing access to legal professions;
• the situation in different Member States (including references of competent authorities, Contact Points and NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centres) representatives; inventory of documents to be submitted);
• various categories of existing legal professions;
• details concerning the aptitude test which Member States can impose.

The Web site incorporates links to the electronic mailbox of DG XV's Unit E-2, responsible for the free movement of professions, and to other relevant Commission and national authority Web sites (including Europa). The project complements the Commission's Citizens First initiative (due to be launched in November), as part of which there will be a Guide on Working in another Member State and a factsheet for each Member State on the exercise of the profession of lawyer.

Web site: http://www.iel.bham.ac.uk/

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