East Midlands MEP Emma McClarkin comments on Commission’s plans to shake up professional mobility in Europe

The European Commission yesterday announced a Green Paper on modernising and simplifying the recognition of professional qualifications around the EU. The announcement comes after Commissioner Barnier cited enhanced professional mobility as a key target in the Single Market Act earlier this year.

Currently, many EU citizens, who are legally established in their home Member State, cannot provide professional services in another Member State due to a host of bureaucratic delays. Moreover, there have been a number of cases, particularly in the healthcare sector, where adequate checks of qualifications have not taken place, leading in some cases to the injury and sad death of patients.

The Commission, who are due to produce a legislative proposal at the end of the year, are looking at a number of measures to improve the current system. This includes a Professional Card, an EU-wide alert mechanism for professionals with outstanding fitness to practice claims, and a modernisation of the decades old requirements for training.

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin welcomed the Commission’s initiative to review the current Directive, but holds reservations about some of the solutions they have proposed.

Miss McClarkin, rapporteur of the report in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection committee said:

“The ability of professionals to provide services and gain employment in other Member States is a tangible example of how EU citizens can benefit from the Single Market. Enhancing this mobility is crucial if we are to encourage innovation and stimulate growth.

“At the moment we have a paradoxical situation. Some professionals are facing unnecessary obstacles to employment in other Member States. At the same time, other professionals, particularly in the healthcare sector, are employed without holding the required skills and competences – potentially threatening patient and consumer safety.

“I want professionals to have better access to information on how they can get their qualifications recognised and for the recognition procedure to be sped up and simplified. The introduction of a Professional Card, which appears to be the main solution put forward by the Commission, will need to be thoroughly assessed and its added value properly demonstrated before it is introduced.”