COUNCIL RESOLUTION of 6 June 1974 on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community;

Having regard to the draft from the Commission;

Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament (1);

Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;

Whereas certain principles and guidelines should be laid down for the promotion of work relating to the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications,

HAS ADOPTED THIS RESOLUTION:

I. THE COUNCIL

- acknowledges that Directives on the right of establishment, in particular those concerning the liberal professions, are of importance in connection with education policies,

- emphasizes that such Directives should be so drawn up that they do not impede efforts towards educational reform in the Member States of the Community,

- considers it appropriate that education policies should make a positive contribution to freedom of establishment, in particular with regard to the liberal professions.

II. The Council expresses the wish that future work on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications be guided by the desire for a flexible and qualitative approach. In this connection, the Council agrees with the following guideline:

Given that, despite the differences existing between one Member State and another in training courses, the final qualifications giving access to similar fields of activity are in practice broadly comparable, directives on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and on the coordination of the conditions of access to the professions should resort as little as possible to the prescription of detailed training requirements.

III. To this effect, inter alia:

- lists of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications recognized as being equivalent should be drawn up,

- Advisory committees, the terms of reference, composition and number of which are still to be determined, should be set up.

IV. The Council hereby instructs the Permanent Representatives Committee to ensure, in cooperation with the Commission, that this Resolution is implemented, particularly within the context of the examination of the draft Directives on the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications. (1)OJ No C 55, 13.5.1974, p. 19.