RESEARCH FOR CULT COMMITTEE – Recognition of qualifications for educational and professional purposes: the impact of Brexit

Briefing 26-11-2018

The United Kingdom (UK) will leave the European Union next 29 March 2019. The potential impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union on the recognition of qualifications depends on the nature of the qualifications as different regulatory regimes apply to academic as against professional qualifications. In the case of academic qualifications, this issue falls within national competence, although supporting policies have been implemented at European level. Brexit should not have substantial consequences since those policies are intergovernmental (e.g. Bologna Process), implemented on a voluntary basis (e.g. European Qualifications Framework, Europass) or open to third countries (e.g. Erasmus+). By contrast, the question of professional qualifications is closely related to the single market and to the free movement of workers, services and establishment. Hence, a number of European directives govern the field of regulated professions. If the UK becomes a third country from 30 March 2019 or at the end of the transition period provided for in the “Draft Withdrawal Agreement”, this legislation will no longer apply either to EU citizens seeking recognition of their qualifications in the UK or to UK citizens seeking recognition of their qualifications in the European Union.