The European Professional Card celebrates its first birthday
(From ec.europa.eu)
One year ago the first EU-wide fully digital procedure for the recognition of professional qualifications was launched. The European Professional Card (EPC), that is an electronic procedure rather than a 'physical' card, is easier, quicker and more transparent to manage than traditional qualification recognition procedures.
This important achievement, created to help EU professionals move within the EU more easily, is the result of joint efforts and efficient cooperation between the European Commission and public administrations in EU countries.
The EPC targets the most mobile professions. Currently, it applies to nurses responsible for general care, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mountain guides and real estate agents. But in the future, the EPC procedure may be extended to other professions.
In the first year, 2,100 EPC applications were submitted and more than 700 EPCs were issued. These figures show both the need and the effectiveness of this innovative tool.
To ensure that EU patients and consumers are adequately protected, an 'Alert Mechanism' was introduced in parallel with the EPC.