Spain is being taken to the EU’s top court over national rules that the European Commission says do not fully comply with EU law on recognising professional qualifications.
The Commission said on Wednesday it had decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to align its legislation with the EU Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications and with EU treaty rules on free movement and establishment.
The case focuses on the recognition of sworn translators and interpreters who are fully qualified in another EU country and want either to establish themselves permanently in Spain or to provide temporary cross-border services.
Spain has not introduced the changes requested despite earlier formal steps taken by Brussels, including a letter of formal notice and a reasoned opinion.
What the EU rules require
The professional qualifications directive is designed to allow people who are fully qualified in one EU member state to have their qualifications recognised in another, without having to retrain or requalify, according to the Commission.
The directive sets out two routes for recognition — automatic recognition for certain professions with EU-wide minimum training standards, and a “general system” covering other regulated professions, including interpreters and sworn translators.
