Labour’s plans to reach an agreement with the EU where professionals such as lawyers and bankers can work more freely across the continent could be a pipedream, with a report warning that getting professional qualifications recognised continues to be a problem across EU countries.
In its election manifesto, Labour has pledged to secure a mutual recognition agreement for professional qualifications, which it said would help open up new markets for the UK services sector.
However, a report from the European Court of Auditors, the body that monitors revenue and spending across the bloc, states that even within the EU citizens still face obstacles in getting their qualifications recognised in another member state.
Although a directive designed to facilitate recognition of professional qualifications was adopted in 2005, there are shortcomings in how the directive is applied in many countries, its report claims, such as a lack of electronic procedures and differences in the fees charged for recognition.
Excessive documentation is often requested, including letters outlining the worker’s motivation to work in a different country, sworn translations, or proof of residence before they have relocated.
The report also finds that some countries have required workers to complete additional training or a test without justification.
It recommends that the European Commission ensures that the recognition system is applied uniformly, and reliable and consistent information is provided to workers.
Stef Blok, the ECA member responsible for the audit, said: “A nurse or mechanic who wants to work in another member state can be discouraged by the process of having their professional qualifications recognised: it can be a long and excessively bureaucratic process.
“We found huge procedural disparities between member states when they apply EU rules, to the detriment of those wishing to pursue a regulated profession elsewhere in the EU. To protect EU citizens, we believe that the alert mechanism should be integrated into the recognition procedure for those professions dealing with health and safety, and those requiring integrity – particularly when dealing with minors.”
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