Professional qualifications, recognition: doctor, dentist, architect...(amend. direct. 89/48/EEC, 92/51/EEC)

The report by Nicole FONTAINE (EPP, F) on the recognition of professional qualifications was unanimously adopted. The report looks at proposed changes to directives on professional qualifications: the general directives of 1989 and 1992 and the specific directives on nurses, dentists, vets, midwives, architects, pharmacists and doctors. Among the reasons for this measure are developments in case-law at the EU Court of Justice and the SLIM project for simplifying EU legislation. As regards architects, the report provides for architects to be entitled to freedom of movement if they hold a certificate or attestation of competence issued by the competent authorities stating that they had, on the date of entry into force of the directive, practised as architects over a period of at least five years prior to that date. In practical terms, if this amendment is adopted all Irish architects will be covered by the directive, which is not the case at present. �