The European Commission reported many difficulties - but also progress - regarding the recognition of academic and professional qualifications held by Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, at a meeting with the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on Tuesday 17 May.
The discussion focussed on the implementation of the recommendation on the recognition of academic and professional qualifications of 6 April (see EUROPE 12927/3) and was chaired by Martin le Vrang, Deputy Head of Unit for Skills, Services and Professions in DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).
The latter indicated that the situation is difficult in many respects. It is unprecedented, as it involves a huge influx of highly skilled people being placed under the Temporary Protection Directive for the first time (see EUROPE 12912/7). He acknowledged that, above all, the situation is very “dynamic”.
One of the major difficulties, he reported, is that many refugees do not have the necessary documents to prove their level of qualification. Fortunately, he added, Ukraine has a centralised database of diplomas that facilitates the assessment of skills.
A working group has been set up to help implement the recommendation, he continued, adding that three meetings have already been held. The next one will be held on 3 June. For the time being, the institution and the Member States, together with Ukraine, are focussing on the question of qualifications held by personnel in the fields of health and education.
During the exchanges, several MEPs, including Kim van Sparrentak (Greens/EFA, Netherlands), insisted on monitoring implementation Member State by Member State, with the possibility of presenting an implementation report in the future. On this point, the senior official indicated that implementation was at an early stage and that monitoring was not yet in operation.
Róża Thun und Hohenstein (Renew Europe, Poland) warned about the European approach. Is it serving the cause of Member States to address labour shortages, or is it really trying to help Ukrainians, she questioned.
The senior official highlighted that protection was temporary by nature, so the question would not arise in these terms for the time being. He stressed that everything will also depend on the development of the situation in Ukraine.
Asked whether some of the lessons learned in the reception of Ukrainian refugees could be extended to other third country refugees, the senior official explained that some best practices and information exchanges - for example, qualification assessment - between Member States could be applied in other areas. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)