Recognition of Diplomas and Qualifications

(source: European Union)

• I. Information on Community Law
• II. Formalities in France
• III. Useful addresses in France

I. Information on Community law

Basic principle:

You have the right of establishment as a self-employed or employed person in any Member State of the European Union, subject to recognition of your qualification. There are simplified authorisation and registration procedures if you wish merely to provide services in another Member State.

Scope:

1. Only qualifications acquired in a Member State and listed in the relevant Directive are eligible for mandatory and automatic recognition. A recently acquired diploma entitling the holder to take up the profession in question in his or her home Member State will, as a general rule, be recognised but, if in doubt, you are advised to consult your professional association.
   
   
2. In specific cases, especially older forms of training undertaken in certain Member States prior to implementation of the Directives or qualifications which have a different designation, recognition may be subject to certain requirements.
   
   
3. Where there are legitimate doubts, the host Member State may ask the competent authorities in the Member State of origin of the applicant or the Member State from which he or she comes to provide confirmation that the diploma is authentic and that the holder fulfils the minimum training requirements under the Directives.
   
   
4. There is no provision for the recognition of training received in countries outside the European Union. Such recognition may, however, be granted by Member States but is binding only on the Member State that grants it and does not extend beyond the territory of that Member State.
   
   
5. The authorities of the host Member State have three months in which to process your application to take up the activity concerned. Decisions not to grant recognition must be reasoned decisions, and it must be possible to appeal against them to the national courts.

Main Community instruments concerned:

• Directives 77/452/EEC and 77/453/EEC (Official Journal of the European Communities No L 176 of 15 July 1977)
• Directive 81/1057/EEC (OJ No L 385 of 31 December 1981)
• Directives 89/594/EEC and 89/595/EEC (OJ No L 341 of 23 November 1989) 
• and Directive 90/658/EEC (OJ No L 353 of 17 December 1990), as amended by the Act of Accession of Greece, the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal and the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden.

II. Formalities in France

1. How to proceed

Your application for recognition should be sent to the Direction Départementale des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales (DDASS) of the French department in which you wish to pursue your profession. If there is a problem, your application will be transferred to: 

• Ministère de la Santé Direction Générale de la Santé 
  1 Place Fontenoy F-75007 Paris 
  Tel.: +33/1/40.56.60.00

2. Information and/or documents to be submitted to the competent authorities:

• a certified photocopy of your diploma
• proof of your identity and of your citizenship of an EU or EEA Member State
• if necessary, a certificate from the Health Ministry in your home Member State showing that your diploma complies with Nurses Directives 77/452/EEC and 77/453/EEC, as amended.

Any translations must be made by a sworn translator.

3. Fees

None, apart from the costs of having any documents translated and/or Certified.

4. Contact point

See Section II.1

5. National rules

• Order of 16 July 1980 laying down the list of diplomas, certificates and other qualifications of nurses responsible for general care awarded by the Member States of the European Economic Community; 

The list, which was referred to in Article L474-1 of the Public Health Code, has been amended by: 

• Order of 6 February 1981 (supplementing the list of diplomas for Greece);
• Order of 21 April 1983 (supplementing the list of dates of compliance for the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and Denmark);
• Order of 10 March 1987 (supplementing the list of qualifications for Spain and Portugal);
• Order of 8 February 1990 (supplementing the list of qualifications for Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece and Spain);
• Order of 5 February 1991 (German unification);
• Order of 2 August 1994 (European Economic Area).

III. Useful addresses in France

• Direction Départementale des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales (DDASS) of the department in which the profession is to be pursued (the address can be obtained from the prefecture of the department)
• Ministère de la Santé Direction Générale de la Santé 
  1 Place Fontenoy F-75007 Paris 
  Tel.: +33/1/46.62.40.00

Note: This Citizens First Factsheet is intended to provide guidance on EU law for information purposes only. It has been prepared by the European Commission with the help of national authorities and contains information on the national implementation of EU law. You are advised that the texts of Community legal instruments should be relied upon in case of doubt concerning the extent of a right or obligation arising from EU law.