The European Professional Card (EPC) and professions in the engineering sector
3.5.2018
Question for written answer P-002468-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Lara Comi (PPE)
Last March the European Parliament rejected the Commission proposal to introduce a services e-card designed as a tool for the development of the European internal market. The European Professional Card (EPC) is a key aspect of the modernisation of the Professional Qualifications Directive, which governs the mobility of regulated professionals throughout Europe. The EPC currently applies to five professions and has proven to be a valid instrument with regard to the mobility of European professionals, which could be extended also to other professions. Moreover, the concept of ‘minimum training requirements’ introduced by Directive 2013/55/EU was designed to offer the opportunity to extend the automatic recognition mechanism to new professions through the ‘common training framework’ (Article 49a and Article 49b).
Can the Commission therefore say:
- 1.Whether it will propose an alternative e-card to develop the single market for professional services;
- 2.Whether it intends to implement, in the near future, Articles 49a and 49b of Directive 2013/55/EU on minimum training requirements;
- 3.Whether it plans to increase the number of professions covered by the European Professional Card, in particular for professions in the engineering sector, and if so, when?