Improving mobility for professionals has been one of the 12 priorities of the Single Market Act. A total of 664 MEPs have voted today, of which 596 have given a positive vote to the final compromised version. Additionally, on the upcoming European Commission resolution on how the Commission will undertake the delegated acts, MEPs have voted positively to include the following sentence in the document “(…) appropriate and transparent consultations are needed in particular with experts from competent authorities and bodies, professional associations and educational establishments of all the Member States, and where appropriate with experts from social partners”.
The modernised Directive will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in the coming weeks. The Member States will now need to ensure that the modernisation of Directive 2005/36/EC is appropriately implemented in their national legislation and as such incorporated into each curriculum in each nursing school. All the existing systems of nursing education in the EU must ensure that they “catch up” with the new requirements as set out in the Directive including a clear set of descriptors (Art. 31) that determines the independence of the nursing profession.
Today´s voted text promotes the mobility of nurses in the EU and represents a strengthened benchmark in quality and safety based on simpler and more effective mobility procedures, enhancing a trustful, confident and enhanced system of recognition of professional qualifications.
As a result of the good collaboration between EFN and the European Commission, European Parliament and Council, all the different possibilities and educational systems to become a nurse have been embraced, and quality of education and measurable learning outcomes will be the main focus in the future. Also important, the Romanian authorities will hold upgrading education programmes for Romanian nurses that currently do not benefit yet from the automatic recognition. The first programme will start in October 2014.
The MEPs, including Commissioner Barnier, acknowledged specially the work undertaken by the rapporteur Bernadette Vergnaud, the Irish Presidency and the continuous and open collaboration with the professional organisations.
EFN Members feedback:
- Mr Thierry Lothaire, from the Fédération Nationale des Infirmières de Belgique, expressed that: « Après des années de travail pour une réforme en profondeur de la formation infirmière et de la libre circulation en Europe, je suis particulièrement heureux du vote positif portant sur la modernisation de la Directive sectorielle 2005/36/CE en séance plénière de ce mercredi 9 octobre 2013 des 596 parlementaires européens à Strasbourg. La FNIB peut être fière d’avoir concrètement apporté sa contribution durant des années aux amendements indispensables de cette directive sectorielle 2005/36/CE. Malgré de nombreuses difficultés, des bâtons dans les roues et des moments de doute, nous avons maintenu le cap sans faille et avec détermination. Certains ne comprendrons pas immédiatement l’importance de ce vote pour les soins infirmiers en Belgique et en Europe. Toutefois, croyez-moi, les effets ne tarderont pas puisque dans les semaines à venir, la modernisation de la directive 2005/36/CE sera publiée au Journal Officiel de l’Union Européenne. Ensuite, 20 jours après cette publication, les Etats membres auront 2 ans pour la transposer dans leur législation et donc l’appliquer. Aujourd’hui, je suis fier d’être infirmier ! »
- Ms. Gertrud Stöcker, Vice-President of the German Nurses Association (DBfK), stated that: “Der Deutsche Berufsverband für Pflegeberufe (DBfK) begrüßt, dass die EU-Kommission nach 35 Jahren die Richtlinie über die Anerkennung von Berufsqualifikationen reformiert und EU-weit die Mindeststandards für die Ausbildung angepasst hat.” (See DBfK Press Release)
- Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (UK), said: “We are pleased that the European Parliament has approved the revised directive. The RCN has long been calling for concerns to be addressed and for education programmes to better reflect modern day nursing, alongside partners in the European Federation of Nurses Associations, the European Federation of Public Service Unions and others within the UK.” (See RCN Press Release)
