WRITTEN QUESTION P-2335/01 by Gerard Collins (UEN) to the Commission. Dissolution of the Advisory Council on Medical Training (ACMT).
Date: 2001-07-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accession to the European Union, advisory committee (EU), free movement of workers, medicine, recognition of vocational training qualifications

20.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 364 E/251

case, the restrictive effects of the regulations on the freedom of establishment are too uncertain and
indirect for the obligation laid down to be regarded as being capable of hindering that freedom (2).

In this context, the Commission will examine the problem of shop-opening hours as part of the follow-up
to its Communication to the Council and the Parliament on an Internal Market Strategy for Services (3).
The Commission in fact recently adopted a new strategy with a view to improving the operation of the
internal market in services which will be split into two phases: the first phase will involve identifying the
obstacles hindering cross-border activities in the field of services; the second phase will involve proposing
measures aimed at removing those obstacles.

(1) Court of Justice, 16 December 1992, B & Q, Case C-169/91, ECR 1992, p. I-6635; Court of Justice, 2 June 1994,

Boermans, Joined Cases C-401/92 and C-402/92, ECR 1994, p. I-2199.

(2) Court of Justice, 20 June 1996, Semeraro Casa Uno, Joined Cases C-418/93 et seq., ECR 1996, p. I-2975.
(3) COM(2000) 888 final.

(2001/C 364 E/277)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2335/01

by Gerard Collins (UEN) to the Commission

(26 July 2001)

Subject: Dissolution of the Advisory Council on Medical Training (ACMT)

The ACMT, which is the body responsible for ensuring that equivalent standards of undergraduate
education and postgraduate training obtain throughout the EU, has not met for three year. How does the
Commission propose to ensure acceptable standards in these areas among healthcare professionals and
training institutions in the applicant states, given the free movement of workers after enlargement?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(5 September 2001)

According to the Council Decision 75/364/EEC setting up the Advisory Committee on Medical Training (1),
the Committee was established to contribute to the objective of ensuring a comparably demanding
standard of training, particularly through giving advice to the Commission. The Commission has already
proposed replacing this Committee, as well as the other Committees working under the other directives
providing for recognition of specific professions in the health sector, by more flexible procedures for the
gathering and exchange of information and advice. In this context, and as the Committee agreed at its last
meeting, informal procedures have been used in the meantime to ensure the completion of its on-going
work.

The Commission also continues to consult the Committee of Senior Officials on Public Health on all
Questions relevant to the operation of the Doctors(cid:146) Directive as well as other specific directives in the
health sector. This Committee was created (cid:145)with the task of identifying and analysing any difficulties which
might arise from the implementation of the Directives relating to the right of establishment and the
freedom to provide services of doctors, collecting all relevant information on the conditions under which
medical care is given in Member States and delivering opinions which could guide the Commission(cid:146)s work
on possible amendments to those directives(cid:146) (Council Decision 75/365/EEC (1) as amended by Council
Decision 77/455/EEC (2) and later decisions).

Concerning the process of enlargement of the Union, an initiative for expert mobilisation is currently
being organised with the Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office (TAIEX) to facilitate the
exchange of information with candidate countries. The Commission has also recently issued a consultation
document on the future of the regime for professional recognition. This document is accessible on the
Europa website at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/qualifications/consult.htm.
is
partly in view of enlargement that this consultation includes the Question of how existing procedures

It

C 364 E/252

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

20.12.2001

can be simplified. The Commission will take account of the responses sent in by the deadline set of
28 September 2001.

(1) OJ L 167, 30.6.1975.
(2) OJ L 176, 15.7.1977.

(2001/C 364 E/278)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2399/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 August 2001)

Subject: Repatriation of powers

Will the Commission indicate whether a Member State is entitled to repatriate unilaterally to its national
parliament powers that it has ceded to the European Union under the treaties? If a Member State were to
repatriate some of those powers, what, in the Commission(cid:146)s view, would its membership status be?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2001)

The delimitation of powers between the European Union and the Member States is laid down by the
Treaties establishing the European Union and the European Communities. These Treaties cannot be
amended unilaterally. The allocation of powers can be changed only by an amendment to the Treaties in
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 48 (formerly Article N) of the Treaty on European
Union.