Brussels Moves to Ease Recognition of Non-EU Qualifications

The European Commission this week proposed new rules to make the recognition of professional qualifications easier for non-EU citizens, according to The Local Italy. The measure addresses a complaint frequently raised by people who have moved to the bloc from outside it: that their degrees, certificates and licences are not automatically accepted where they now live.

The proposal is framed as legislation, not guidance. Under the current patchwork, recognition is handled member state by member state, and in many regulated professions the process is slow, documentary and expensive. The Commission's stated aim is to reduce that friction for third-country nationals who are already resident or seeking to work in the EU.