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I hold a French degree or diploma

...and I wish to obtain the recognition of my professional qualifications in another member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area

If you are a national from a member state of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) and hold a French diploma or a diploma awarded by a third country that is recognised in France, your professional qualifications must be recognised prior to practising your profession in another EU or EEA member state.

Starting a business in an EU or EEA country in which my profession is regulated

Before you start working in another country, find out which professions are regulated there. If your profession is indeed regulated, you will need to obtain the recognition of your professional qualifications. You will need to contact the relevant authority of your destination country to know which procedures you need to complete.

Once your professional qualifications have been recognised, you may practise your profession in exactly the same way as the nationals who obtained their degree or diploma in the country concerned.

I wish to provide services occasionally in a member state in which my profession is regulated

In order to provide services temporarily in another country, you must be established in your home country. However, practising your profession is not necessary, as well as obtaining the recognition of your professional qualifications, since a simple written declaration is enough.

Depending on the extent to which your profession may affect health or safety, the member state may wish to verify your professional qualifications. It may be necessary to renew this declaration every year.

Good to know

If your profession is not subject to regulations in the destination country, it is up to the employer to assess you diploma and professional qualifications.

Procedures

The relevant authorities of the country in which you are requesting the recognition of your professional qualifications have one month to acknowledge receipt of your request and ask for any additional supporting documents.

Once the authorities received your application, they will then make their decision within:

  • three months if you are a doctor, general care nurse, midwife, veterinary surgeon, dentist, pharmacist or architect and therefore benefit from the automatic recognition ,
  • four months for all other professions.

After this period has elapsed, you should contact the support service or the national information point for the recognition of professional qualifications .

For further information

Useful links (European Commission's website):

List of European Union member states

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonie, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Czechia.

List of European Economic Area countries

The EEA comprises the 27 member states of the European Union (EU), which are listed above, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.