Last December, the European Union and the United Kingdom (UK) agreed on a new trade deal following the UK's exit from the European Union (EU). This agreement includes rules on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
The BREXIT trade agreement concluded in December 2020 includes rules on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. You can find the relevant article and a more detailed annex via these links.
KIVI 's Training Council, together with our European umbrella association FEANI tried to interpret this agreement and the implications for Dutch engineers.
The result of that preliminary analysis is that BSc and MSc degrees will continue to be recognised unchanged in the UK because the UK is a signatory to the so-called Bologna Declaration, the Washington Accord and other treaties on training at universities and colleges. These are not within the membership of the European Union, which the UK has terminated.
Professional qualifications that may be required in the UK by governments, universities, businesses and other organisations, such as Safety Officer, Secondary School Teacher and all Chartered and Incorporated Engineering qualifications are subject to different rules. There will be a general recognition system based on the equivalence of professional qualifications. UK regulators will be required to consider recognition applications from holders of European professional qualifications, but will only be obliged to grant recognition to qualifications that are comparable to UK qualification requirements and standards in scope, level and content. Which professional qualifications are concerned can be found in the European Commission's Regulated Professions database (REGPROF) if you look at the UK data.
Let us know if you are experiencing problems due to BREXIT when qualifying to study or work in the UK. We may be able to help you.
Send your report to Loes Bliek(E:loes.bliek@kivi.nl) at the KIVI office or to main board member Jan Wind(E:jan.wind@kivi.nl).
KIVI Council Opeiding, 19 January 2021
V1. This article will be supplemented as new information becomes available
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More detailed information may also be found here:
- Overall summary of the UK provisions Guidance-for-regulators-on-rpq-after-the-tp-final.pdf (engc.org.uk)
- Overall summary of the EEA situation Selling services to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein from 1 January 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- General information on recognition/comparison of international qualifications and skills National Recognition Information Centre for the UK (UK NARIC)Home Page (naric.org.uk)UK NARIC is the designated United Kingdom national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills. They perform this official function on behalf of the UK Government
- List of Regulated professions covered by the legislation The European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)
- European Commission's Regulated Professions Database (REGPROF) which lists the regulated professions by country with the competent authorities
