The free movement of health care professionals in the European Community

What is it about?

Health care professionals across the EU prescribe and administer medicinal products and help patients every day. As this is a critical task they are closely regulated and must be fully qualified in order to do so. This chapter seeks to explain the development of European Union law and policy as it attempts to tackle difficulties arising for free movement of individuals involved in the health care sector. The difficulties are caused by differences in structures of the relevant professions, differences in the modes of provision of health care that are found in the fifteen Member States of the European Union (EU), as well as the limited competence of the EU to act in this area. After examining these issues the chapter sets out the methods used to liberate health care professionals and their patients from national boundaries. The application of internal market rules to health care activities is examined and the sectoral and general Directives on recognition of qualifications are analysed. The gaps left by these instruments are exposed in the context of the current revisions and case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

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