- In which countries does Directive 2005/36/EC apply?
- Who does the directive apply to?
- What are Regulated Professions?
- How can people who are educated and trained in different Member States, each with their own national qualification for the profession, work in these regulated fields in other Member States?
- How can I find out whether the profession I want to practice is regulated in the Member State where I want to work?
- What if my profession is not regulated in my home Member State but is regulated in the Member state where I wish to work?
- What if my profession is not regulated in the country I wish to work?
- How can I compare my qualification with those of the UK?
- I am a national from one of the accession countries, are there any additional requirements which I must comply with in order to work in the UK?
- How can I compare my vocational qualifications with those of the UK?
- How do I find out what information I need to provide for recognition of my professional qualifications?
- Where can I get information if I wish to continue my studies in the UK?
- I need a Certificate of Experience. What is that?
- How do I know if I need a Certificate of Experience?
- How do I apply for a Certificate of Experience?
- I have lost my Certificate, how do I go about obtaining a replacement copy?
- I am a UK National how can I compare my academic qualifications with those of another Member State?
Q.In which countries does Directive 2005/36/EC apply?
A. The Directive applies across the 31 States; the 27 EC Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK) and the European Economic Area (EEA) Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Q.Who does the directive apply to?
A. To be eligible for recognition under the Directive a person must be an EU or EEA national and must be a fully qualified professional wishing to practice a regulated profession in another Member State.
Q.What are Regulated Professions?
A. A regulated profession is one where access to or practise of a profession is restricted by national law to those holding specific qualifications. Each Member State determines its own national system of education and training, leading to its own particular professional qualifications.
A. European Directive 2005/36/EC is designed to enable EU citizens to transfer their qualifications and skills between Member States. It works on the principle that a qualified professional in one Member State is qualified to exercise the same profession in another Member State.
A. Through the contact points for the Member State concerned. You can find the contact details for these professional authorities listed on the Europa website at
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/docs/contact-points/info-points_en.pdf
A. Even though the profession is not regulated in your home state you still have rights under the Directive. You should obtain recognition of your qualifications by making an application to the authority for the profession in the Member state where you want to practice.
Q.What if my profession is not regulated in the country I wish to work?
A. You do not need to apply for recognition of your professional qualifications. You can practise in that Member State, subject to the same conditions as its own nationals.
Q.How can I compare my qualification with those of the UK?
A. You should contact the UK's National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) for information on how your qualifications fit in with the UK system. www.naric.org.uk
A. For the latest information on working in the UK see the Home Office website at: www.workingintheuk.gov.uk
Q.How can I compare my vocational qualifications with those of the UK?
A. You should contact the UK NARIC which is the central information resource for vocational qualifications, including those for trades people, apprentices and technicians www.naric.org.uk
A. You should make your application to the authority for the profession in the Member State where you want to practise, and ask what documents are required. If you are unsure who the authority is then you should contact the national contact point where you wish to practise.
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/qualifications/docs/contact-points/info-points_en.pdf
Q.Where can I get information if I wish to continue my studies in the UK?
A. The British Council is the UK's international organisation for educational opportunities. Their website will give you information on finding a course of study www.britishcouncil.org
Q.I need a Certificate of Experience. What is that?
A. A Certificate of Experience is a document produced in the Member State where a person has demonstrated work experience and verifies that the person satisfies the criteria laid down in Article 16 of Directive 2005/36/EC.
Q.How do I know if I need a Certificate of Experience?
A. You should contact the authorities in the Member State where you wish to work to determine whether the profession you wish to pursue is regulated. If your profession falls under Article 16 of Directive 2005/36/EC you should apply to UK NARIC for a Certificate of Experience. Contact details for the Member States are listed on the EU Co-ordinators page.
Q.How do I apply for a Certificate of Experience?
A. From 2 October 2006, all Certificates of Experience are processed by UK NARIC. An on-line application form is available from www.certex.org.uk
Their contact address is:
Certificate of Experience
UK NARIC
Oriel House, Oriel Road
Cheltenham
GLOS
GL50 1XP
Tel: +44 (0)871 330 7033
Fax: +44 (0)871 330 7005
Website: www.naric.org.uk
Q.I have lost my Certificate, how do I go about obtaining a replacement copy?
A. If your Certificate was issued more than 6 years ago it may not be possible to provide you with a replacement. You may need to re-apply. Certificate's of Experience are processed by UK NARIC an on-line application is on www.certex.org.uk
Their contact address is:
Certificate of Experience
UK NARIC
Oriel House, Oriel Road
Cheltenham
GLOS
GL50 1XP
Tel: +44 (0)871 330 7033
Fax: +44 (0)871 330 7005
Website: www.naric.org.uk
A. You should contact the NARIC in the relevant Member State.
