Digitalisation of procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications
PURPOSE: to modernise and digitalise procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications within the EU and to establish a more consistent framework for the recognition of qualifications obtained in third countries.
PROPOSED ACT: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.
BACKGROUND: the Single Market’s full potential depends on enabling professionals to move freely across the Union. Facilitating mobility helps address labour and skills shortages and strengthens economic resilience. Remaining barriers to professional mobility, particularly in regulated professions where national qualification requirements differ, should therefore be reduced.
This proposal forms part of the Skills Portability Initiative (SPI), which is a key component of the Fair Labour Mobility Package (FLMP). The skills portability initiative will modernise procedures for recognising professional qualifications in the single market.
By amending Directive 2005/36/EC (Professional Qualifications Directive), this proposal aims to reduce paperwork, shorten processing times and improve the accountability of administrations, lower fees, improve the information provided to citizens, and strengthen administrative cooperation between national authorities.
The new legal framework will make recognition more transparent and digital. It will also cover EU citizens who obtained qualifications outside of the EU.
CONTENT: the proposal amends both Directive 2005/36/EC and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (the IMI Regulation).
The proposal:
- replaces the existing European Professional Card framework with a European Digital Recognition Solution. While recognition decisions remain the responsibility of Member States, the entire administrative workflow will be carried out through a common digital infrastructure used by all competent authorities;
- introduces deadlines for each key procedural step, creating a structured workflow from the submission of an application to the final recognition decision. For temporary and occasional provision of services, the proposal similarly shortens the duration of prior checks. To reinforce compliance, the new proposal introduces a financial compensation mechanism for applicants affected by excessive delays in the administrative handling of their recognition applications;
- further harmonises the procedural framework by clarifying that competent authorities may request only the documents expressly provided for by the Directive. Member States should accept those documents in any official language of the Union. A new article introduces common principles governing recognition fees. Together, these measures reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, improve legal certainty and promote more consistent application of the Directive;
- modernises the notification framework requiring Member States to submit notifications concerning regulated professions through the Internal Market Information System. It also strengthens the Commission's role in monitoring the implementation of the Directive, enabling reporting to rely on statistical information generated by the European Digital Recognition Solution and thereby improving the quality, comparability and availability of implementation data;
- introduces a more structured governance framework, strengthening cooperation between the Commission and the Member States within the Group of Coordinators on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications. Annual work programmes will provide a clearer framework for monitoring implementation, identifying common challenges, exchanging good practices and preparing future developments of the recognition system. The strengthened governance framework is also intended to facilitate and streamline the use of the Directive's delegated powers, in particular with regard to the establishment of Common Training Frameworks;
- establishes a framework for the recognition of third-country qualifications held by third-country nationals. The existing provisions are replaced by new rules on recognition of qualifications obtained outside the Union.
Budgetary implications
The proposal has budgetary implications for the Union budget related to the development, deployment and operation of the European Digital Recognition Solution, which will be developed, financed and operated by the Commission, within three years after entry into force of this Directive.
For 2027, the resource of the deployment of the system will come from EaSI. The source of financing and scope of Union financial commitment in the post-2027 period remain subject to the outcome of interinstitutional negotiations on the MFF 2028-2034 and thereafter shall be determined through the annual budgetary procedure.