Evaluation of the Professional Qualifications Directive

This evaluation assesses the functioning of the European rules applying to the recognition of professional qualifications and identifies the remaining obstacles to the mobility of professionals.

The Professional Qualifications Directive was adopted in September 2005 and transposed in Member States between 2007 and 2010. However, since the Directive consolidates the rules set out in 15 previous Directives adopted from the 1960's onwards, the evaluation covers a much older acquis.

Since 2007, more than 100 000 recognition decisions have been taken under the Directive, enabling the mobility of 85.000  professionals. The most mobile professions are health professions, teachers, social/cultural professions and craftsmen.