PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS : FIVE MEMBER STATES LATE IN IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVE.

• Position: Brief article

Austria, Belgium, France, Greece and Luxembourg have failed to implement Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications and the accompanying user's guide' into national law two years after the implementation deadline has passed. Greece has not even notified the European Commission of any measure taken.

The EU executive published, on 9 December, a "scoreboard" on this directive - which was adopted in 2005 and should have been implemented by the member states by 20 October 2007 - giving a detailed overview of its implementation in the 27 member states. The directive aims to facilitate the free movement of citizens who wish to establish themselves as a self-employed workers or who want to work abroad on a temporary basis.

According to EU's Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, "This user's guide gives professionals valuable practical information on how to exercise their internal market rights". He "encouraged" member states to "ensure that this important directive is in operation as...