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Joint Statement of the European Medical Organisations on the review of Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications

Date

08 Dec 2011

Sections

Health & Consumers
We, as representatives of the undersigned European Medical Organisations, take the opportunity to jointly highlight the driving principles to be considered by European decision-makers when reviewing the Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications. We emphasise the following fundamental principles:
• The safe mobility of physicians based on automatic recognition of qualifications must be guaranteed. The EU’s legislative framework should facilitate the free movement of medical professionals.
• Ensuring the safety and quality of care for patients is of primary importance and justifies a regulation of the medical profession that is distinct from the provisions governing other professions.
• The integrity and quality of medical qualifications must not be compromised in any way. It is therefore of imperative importance to explicitly exempt the medical profession from the scope of application of any provisions introducing the principle of ‘partial access’ to the Directive.
• In order to safeguard quality of care and patient safety, it is essential that the responsibility of National Competent Authorities for the recognition procedure is not restricted in any respect and that registration requirements are fully upheld, without prejudice to innovations to the Directive with the potential to facilitate procedures.
• Safety can be improved further through a strengthening of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) thus enhancing communication and exchange of information and alerts among national competent authorities, in full compliance with national and European legislation on data protection.
• Mechanisms established to amend provisions in the Directive must be enshrined in legislation in the most transparent way. Moreover the formal involvement of the medical profession and the respective competent authorities must be implemented effectively to ensure that the expertise, practical experience and implications of professional mobility are truly respected.
 
Dr J. de Deus President of the European Association of Senior Hospital Physicians (AEMH)
Mr B. Manev President of the European Medical Students Association (EMSA)
Dr R. Kerzmann President of the European Council of Medical Orders (CEOM)
Dr C. Wetzel President of the European Federation of Salaried Doctors (FEMS)
Dr K. Radziwill President of the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME)
Dr F. Hajnal President of the European Union of General Practitioners/Family Specialists (UEMO)
Dr J. Pruckner President of the European Working Group of Practitioners and Specialists in Free Practice (EANA)
Dr Z. Fras President of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)
Dr C. Mohrhardt President of the European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group (EJD)
 
AEMH, CEOM, CPME, EANA, EJD, EMSA, FEMS, UEMO and UEMS are the European organisations representing national professional organisations, trade unions and regulators for the medical profession in Europe.