European Professional Card and the Alert Mechanism

European Professional Card and the Alert Mechanism

The Directive 2013/55/EU amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (IMI) was implemented in January 2016. The new directive aims to facilitate and enhance the mobility of professionals across the EU and to address local staff shortages. It introduces the European Professional Card (EPC), an electronic certificate one can use to have his/her professional qualifications recognised in another EU country. The EPC is currently available for five professions (general care nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, real estate agents and mountain guides). It might be extended to other professions in the future.

The EPC does not replace the ‘traditional’ recognition procedures under the Professional Qualifications Directive.

An alert mechanism integrated within the IMI ensures that EU patients and consumers are adequately protected. The Competent Authorities of EU countries are required to warn each other about professionals who:
• have been prohibited or restricted from practicing the profession in one country
• have used falsified diplomas for their application for the recognition of their qualification.