EFPA EMC 23/2015: Initiative of the European Commission regarding recognition of regulated professions in Europe – possible consequences for Psychologists.
Follow up of EMC 21/2015 of May 28, 2015 : Relaunch EFPA survey on the legal status of the profession
Dear Presidents,
By the end of 2013 the European Commission has launched a “transparency and mutual evaluation exercise”, which should help clarify the state of affairs regarding the recognition of regulated professions in Europe, and to decide which professions need to remain regulated and in which form, and which might be deregulated. The profession of psychologist is included in the second cluster of professions. Information about this can be found in: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/single-market/services/qualifications/mutual-evaluation/index_en.htm
You will be aware that competent authorities of all EU Member States have been asked to provide reports on the profession of psychologist.
An interim-report with conclusions by the Commission is still to appear, but you can find the national reports in the EFPA Dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jfjesg4z5uqjiit/AABlt0d_gn_jGaB4jJT09EUla?dl=0 – pass word EFPA2015
EFPA is meanwhile updating its Survey ‘Status of the Profession’ and intends to use the information provided by the Member Associations to validate and if necessary to correct the contents of the national reports and/or the interim-report of the Commission. This possibility to correct is of importance in view of the next step, i.e. the formulation of action plans, by the Member States. Information about this will be provided by the Head Office during the next few months.
It is obvious that a driving force behind the transparency and mutual evaluation exercise is to scrutinize and challenge the regulation of certain professions in order to remove undue barriers that hinder the Internal Market. Although the profession of psychologist is somehow regulated in all EU countries and proposals for deregulation do not seem likely, there are differences and Member Associations and EFPA must be vigilant in order not to be surprised by initiatives to reduce the level of regulation.
Psychotherapy
We have noted that a number of national reports have also mentioned regulation of psychotherapy. Other reports haven’t discussed this, either because there is no regulation or because the EU survey did not explicitly ask for this info. Since this may be a source of confusion for the team of the European Commission, it is very important that all Member Associations provide us with the information requested in our own ‘Status of the profession’ survey.
Survey on the legal status of the profession
Please complete and/or update the survey (which has been sent to your association in a separate mail on May 29, 2015) and return it by June 15, 2015 to Joke De Vocht (joke.de.vocht@efpa.eu) according to the instructions we gave in the individual messages.
We count on your help in this matter.
Best regards,
Prof. dr. Robert A. Roe
President EFPA
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European Federation of Psychologists Associations | Grasmarkt 105/39 – B-1000 Brussels – Belgium
Phone : +32 (0)2 5034953 – Fax : +32 (0)2 5033067 | email : headoffice@efpa.eu
