WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2932/98 by Joaquim MIRANDA to the Commission. Recognition of official rules governing alternative medicine
Date: 1998-10-02
Institutions: European Parliament, MIRANDA
Subjects: alternative medicine, application of EU law, paramedical profession, recognition of diplomas, right of establishment

29.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 118/171

(1999/C 118/216)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2932/98

by Joaquim Miranda (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Recognition of official rules governing alternative medicine

(2 October 1998)

In view of the fact that the European Community recognises the existence of official rules governing
alternative medicine in certain Community countries, according to information received from the
Organization of Natural Medicine and Organic Therapies in Portugal, which is affiliated to the Open
International University, can the Commission say what recognition the European Community gives
natural medicine and whether there are any specific forms of financial support or higher training courses
promoted or encouraged by the Community institutions?

Answer by Mr Monti On behalf of the Commission

(16 November 1998)

There are no binding Community texts recognising and governing activities in the field of alternative
medicine. If there is no harmonisation at Community level, the recognition and any control of an activity
are in the first place the responsibility of each Member State, as far as the requirements for training, entry
and practice of the activity are concerned. Furthermore, Article 129 of the EC Treaty on public health
leaves the matter of treatment and care to the Member States.

The situation of natural medicine in the Member States varies tremendously, since activities related to
such treatment may or may not be recognised by the Member States and may be practised solely by
qualified doctors or by other practitioners as a form of treatment that is alternative or complementary to
traditional medical care. With regard to this matter, the honourable Member is referred to the resolution on
the status of non-conventional medicine adopted by Parliament on 29 May 1997 (A4-0075/97). This
resolution described the situation of non-conventional medicine in the various Member States at the time
the text was adopted.

The question of the recognition of diplomas is worth mentioning. When an activity in a Member State is
not restricted to a qualified doctor, the general system for the recognition of diplomas and professional
qualifications (Directives 89/48/EEC et 92/51/EEC) (1) is intended to apply to a qualified professional
desiring to exercise in any Member State the same activity for which he is qualified in his Member State of
origin. In this connection, the honourable Member is referred to the Commission(cid:146)s answer to Written
Question E-317/94 (2), by Mr Kostopoulos, on training standards for osteopaths. The content of that
answer is › mutatis mutandis › applicable to all forms of natural medicine.

With regard to financial support from the Commission for courses of higher education in this field, the
Socrates programme › and especially its Erasmus project › provided help in 1996-97 for the joint
development of a master(cid:146)s degree in paraclinical sciences. This programme is coordinated by the
University of Kent at Canterbury and also involves the Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen and the
UniversitØ de Lille II, which specialises in law and medicine.

(1) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989 and L 209 of 24.7.1992.
(2) OJ C 376, 30.12.1994.

(1999/C 118/217)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2944/98

by Gianfranco Dell(cid:146)Alba (ARE) to the Commission

Subject: B7-6601 › Cooperation agreements with third countries

(8 October 1998)

On the initiative of the European Parliament, the European Union budget provides in Item B7-6601,
Cooperation agreements with third countries, for ECU 1,6 million intended for the co-financing of
external measures with the Republic of China with a view to Taiwan(cid:146)s integration into the World Trade
Organisation.