WRITTEN QUESTION E-2775/99 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Consolidation of the tourist guide profession in Greece.
Date: 2000-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Greece, competence of the Member States, directive (EU), national implementing measure, recognition of diplomas, recognition of vocational training qualifications, tourist guide, vocational training

C 225 E/204

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(14 February 2000)

A grade A post for the Commission Office in Athens has been published. Publication was in abeyance
pending completion of the restructuring of the Press and Communication Service, to which the Offices in
the Member States have reported since 1 October 1999. Since the restructuring is progressing steadily, the
post will be published again shortly and filled as soon as possible.

(2000/C 225 E/232)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2775/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Consolidation of the tourist guide profession in Greece

(18 January 2000)

Greece has to date had no mechanism for certifying the tourist guide profession or for setting conditions
for the issuing of a special card certifying that the holder is a tourist guide.

Talks have recently begun between the parties concerned and the government over the introduction of a
bill setting conditions for the recognition of this profession, and it would help facilitate the dialogue if the
Commission could answer the following questions:

1. Does it consider confirmation from the employer alone to be sufficient justification for the issuing of a
special card certifying the holder as a professional tourist guide, when there may be more convincing
documents proving the exercise of the profession, such as the individual(cid:146)s tax return or the registers of
the approved association of those trained in the field to date?

2. Does it consider it essential for the bill to take account of the conditions referred to in Article 7 of

Directive 75/368/EEC (1), such as two years(cid:146) previous service?

3.

For the recognition of professional training, is it considered essential for training certificates to be
validated by a State department or a professional association, or is a simple certificate of attendance of
relevant training sufficient?

(1) OJ L 167, 30.6.1975, p. 22.

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2000)

Only the courier profession is in fact covered by Council Directive 75/368/EEC of 16 June 1975 on
measures to facilitate the effective exercise of freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services in
respect of various activities (ex ISIC Division 01 to 85) and, in particular, transitional measures in respect
of those activities (1). The Directive excludes the tourist guide profession which, depending on the level of
training required in the different Member States, is covered either by 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 (2) or by 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 (3).

The Commission can give the following answers to the specific questions raised by the Honourable
Member about provisions to be included in the bill setting conditions for the recognition of the tourist
guide profession in Greece.

Firstly, it should be noted that each Member State can choose whether to regulate a profession in its own
country or not. In addition, the rules which apply to nationals who have acquired their professional
qualification in this Member State are outside Community law and at the discretion of the Member State.
Consequently the Directive applies only to Community nationals who have acquired their professional
qualification in a Member State other than the one where they intend to exercise their profession.

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/205

Article 9 of Directive 75/368/EEC states that proof that the conditions laid down in Article 5 and Article
7(1) (concerning the nature and length of the activity exercised by the person concerned in their Member
State of origin) are satisfied shall be established by a certificate issued by the competent authority or body
in the Member State of origin or Member State from which the person comes. The Commission considers
that (cid:145)competent authority or body in the Member State of origin(cid:146) means a State authority or a body which
has been delegated powers by this State authority. Depending on the Member State, this could be
ministries, prefects or chambers of commerce.
In the Commission(cid:146)s opinion, confirmation from the
employer alone is not sufficient, unless the employer is actually the body which has been delegated
powers by the State authority. Similarly, an individual(cid:146)s tax return would not be sufficient proof under
Directive 75/368/EEC as this is a purely unilateral act by the migrant.

According to the latest information given to the Commission, the current authorities in Greece which are
competent to issue these certificates are the prefects, in accordance with Presidential decree 33/1993.

that,

for migrant professionals, the national

The Commission considers it essential
law transposing
Directive 75/368/EEC includes the criteria referred to in Article 7, allowing nationals of other Member
States to take up or pursue a career as a courier. Moreover, following the adoption of Directive 1999/42/
EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 June 1999 establishing a mechanism for the
recognition of qualifications in respect of the professional activities covered by the Directives on liberal-
isation and transitional measures and supplementing the general systems for the recognition of qualifica-
tions (4), nationals of other Member States will also be able to have their diplomas and other training
certificates recognised, which they have acquired in their Member State of origin or in the Member State
from which they come, according to the principles which govern the general system for the recognition of
professional qualifications (Article 3 of Directive 1999/42/EC). There are also good grounds for giving
migrants this possibility in the national transposing law.

The certificate referred to in Article 7(1)(b) of Directive 75/368/EEC which testifies to the vocational
training undertaken by the migrant must be (cid:145)recognised by the State or regarded by the competent
professional or trade body as fully satisfying its requirements(cid:146). Directive 75/368/EEC does not give a
precise definition of the term (cid:145)certificate(cid:146) and there is nothing to indicate that the training undertaken by
the migrant has to have been subject to an evaluation. Moreover, as it is the Member States(cid:146) responsibility
to organise training courses, the Commission considers that it is up to the competent professional body of
the Member State of origin to decide whether a course attendance certificate is sufficient or not.

(1) OJ L 167, 30.6.1975.
(2) OJ L 19, 24.1.1989.
(3) OJ L 209, 24.7.1992.
(4) OJ L 201, 31.7.1999.

(2000/C 225 E/233)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2778/99

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Failure to maintain current job levels at a subsidised plant owned by pasta-producer MISKO

MISKO, the pasta-producing subsidiary of the Italian company Barilla, has received funding under Greek
development law 1892/90 to set up a new production plant at Thiva on condition that it maintains the
present number of 275 permanent jobs. Before completing construction of the new plant, the company
closed down its pasta factory in Patras, compelling the current workforce either to resign or agree to being
transferred to other company plants. However, the company has not informed those workers who agree to
a transfer of the exact place or starting-date of their employment, the type of work, level of pay or the cost
of relocating. It did not even inform them of where they would be employed after the closure of the Patras
factory (cid:129) which occurred on 10 September 1999 (cid:129) until the new plant was opened at Thiva.