WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1743/98 by Marie-Paule KESTELIJN- SIERENS to the Commission. Non-conventional medicine
Date: 1998-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, KESTELIJN-SIERENS
Subjects: free movement of workers, freedom to provide services, higher education, mutual recognition principle, practitioner of alternative medicine, professional qualifications, recognition of diplomas, right of establishment

C 386/156

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.98

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 1998)

The Commission communication (cid:145)Adapting and promoting the Social Dialogue at Community level(cid:146) (1), adopted
on 20 May 1998, does not provide for the replacement of the joint committees by wider structures. On the
contrary, the Commission proposes to maintain and even strengthen the sectoral dimension within the framework
of the new sectoral dialogue committees.

The proposal aims at ensuring a more efficient and flexible sectoral social dialogue, with greater responsibility
given to the social partners in line with the principle of autonomy of the social partners.

(1) COM(98) 322.

(98/C 386/214)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1743/98

by Marie-Paule Kestelijn-Sierens (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 June 1998)

Subject: Non-conventional medicine

In his speech to the European Parliament on 28 May 1997 on the harmonization of non-conventional medical
practice between the Member States, Commissioner Flynn indicated that the general system of recognition of
diplomas, in force for several years, already ensures the free movement of medical practitioners between Member
States which recognize non-conventional medicine as a discipline distinct from conventional medicine. Would
the European Commission now please supply:

1.

2.

3.

an exhaustive list of the Member States which recognize non-conventional medicine as a discipline distinct
from conventional medicine;

lists, names and/or descriptions, where appropriate, of diplomas in non-conventional medicine recognized in
the Member States of the European Union which, under the general system of diploma recognition, ensure
the free movement of practitioners holding such diplomas;

the legislation governing non-conventional medicine in those Member States in the European Union which
have made such medicines official.

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 1998)

The general system of diploma recognition to which the Honourable Member refers › namely Council Directive
89/48/EEC of 21 December 1988 on a general system for the recognition of higher-education diplomas awarded
on completion of professional education and training of at least three years(cid:146) duration (1) and Council Directive
92/51/EEC of 18 June 1992 on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training
to supplement Directive 89/48/EEC (2) › does not seek to harmonise Member States(cid:146) legislation relating to the
professions but leaves it to them to lay down rules governing training and the conditions of access to, and exercise
of, such activities. Provision has not been made for Member States to communicate all their national legislation
relating to the regulated professions in the eleven Community languages › legislation which is, moreover,
changing in the Member States › and this is not essential for the general system of diploma recognition to
function.

A detailed answer to the Honourable Member(cid:146)s questions would necessitate lengthy and laborious research which
the Commission is unable to undertake.

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989.
(2) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.