European Commission Proposes Measures to Ease Labor Mobility and Qualification Recognition

The European Commission has introduced a package of measures designed to facilitate labor mobility across the European Union by digitizing key documents and accelerating the recognition of professional qualifications. A central component of the proposal is the creation of a digital European Social Security card, which would allow users to apply online and access documents such as the European Health Insurance Card via mobile devices. The Commission also aims to reduce the time required to recognize qualifications for regulated professions from four months to a maximum of eleven weeks. For specific roles with existing automatic recognition systems, such as doctors, nurses, and architects, the proposed timeline for completion would drop from three months to five weeks.

Furthermore, the proposal seeks to streamline the recognition of degrees obtained outside the EU, aiming to reduce the average processing time from 14 months to four. To support this, the Commission plans to implement a common digital format for qualifications ranging from secondary education to doctorates, which can be stored in the European digital identity wallet. Professionals would be able to complete procedures digitally and submit documentation in any official EU language to avoid the need for certified translations. The Commission estimates these measures could generate 6 billion euros in benefits by 2040 through reduced fraud and administrative savings.

While both reports cover the technical details of the proposal, they emphasize different aspects of the initiative. The center left source focuses on the digitalization of social security and the general goal of labor mobility. In contrast, the center right source provides extensive detail on the reduction of bureaucratic timelines and the economic benefits for businesses hiring talent.