By Henrietta Billings - 6th June 2005
EU ministers have given the final nod to proposals designed to make it easier to travel and work in the 25 country bloc.
The new rules agreed on Monday in Luxembourg will make professional qualifications more easily recognised across Europe - a move designed to boost labour mobility and spur economic growth.
The rules replace 15 existing directives in this field, creating a streamlined system that allows skills and qualifications gained in another EU country to be recognised throughout Europe.
Professionals on short term contracts will have to produce a certificate proving their qualifications from their home country, or show they have two years experience.
But there will still be minimum Europe wide standards for key professions such as doctors, chemists and architects.
And the right of control will remain with the receiving country, not with the country of origin, as proposed by the European Commission.
Most controversial in the original proposals was the "16 weeks" provision, allowing doctors and nurses to work in any EU country for up to four months without being registered.
This provision, which would have made it difficult for national authorities to take action against individuals accused of mal practice, was removed my national governments and the parliament.
The adoption was welcomed by AURE, the Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe, which it said the adoption represents "an important victory for patient safety".
Greece and Germany voted against the proposals which still managed to secure the backing of a majority of member states.
The new laws are expected to come into force in 2007.
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