Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2025/1223 of 10 April 2025 amending Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the minimum training requirements for the profession of veterinary surgeon
Date: 2025-04-10
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: administrative cooperation, freedom to provide services, recognition of diplomas, recognition of vocational training qualifications, right of establishment, scientific progress, veterinarian, veterinary medicine, vocational training




L_202501223EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/1223


20.6.2025







            COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) 2025/1223
of 10 April 2025
         
amending Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the minimum training requirements for the profession of veterinary surgeon
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (1) and, in particular, Article 21(6), second subparagraph and Article 38(1), second subparagraph, thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


The harmonised minimum training requirements for the profession of veterinary surgeon are set out in Article 38 of Directive 2005/36/EC as well as in point 5.4.1 of Annex V to that Directive.












(2)


In its 2011 Green Paper on the modernisation of Directive 2005/36/EC (2), the Commission acknowledged the need to modernise the harmonised minimum training requirements in phases.












(3)


In the context of the amendment of Directive 2005/36/EC through Directive 2013/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (3), national authorities, academic institutions and professional organisations indicated that the professions covered by Title III, Chapter III of the Directive have evolved significantly since their respective minimum training requirements were harmonised.












(4)


While Directive 2013/55/EU reviewed to a certain extent the knowledge and skills for the profession of veterinary surgeon as set out in Article 38(3) of Directive 2005/36/EC, no substantial changes were made to the study programme subjects listed in point 5.4.1 of Annex V to Directive 2005/36/EC.












(5)


Article 21(6) of Directive 2005/36/EC, as amended, provides the Commission with delegated powers to introduce, in accordance with its Article 57c of Directive 2005/36/EC, updates to the minimum training requirements in order to adapt them to generally acknowledged scientific and technical progress to reflect the evolution of EU law directly affecting the professionals concerned.












(6)


The Commission has assessed whether the minimum training requirements for the profession of veterinary surgeon, as set out in Directive 2005/36/EC, should be updated in light of generally acknowledged scientific and technical progress.












(7)


A study was carried out to assist the Commission in its assessment. The aim of the study was to explore the developments in training requirements for the profession of veterinary surgeon in Member States and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States. For that purpose, data was collected at EU and national level through desk research and targeted stakeholder consultations. The data collection focused on developments in training requirements at national level: (i) scientific and technical advancements affecting the profession of veterinary surgeon; (ii) training programmes and knowledge and skills that go beyond the minimum training requirements laid down in Directive 2005/36/EC and that reflect any adaptation to scientific and technical advancements.












(8)


A comparative assessment of the data collected was carried out during the study. It focused on developments in and commonalities between training requirements across all Member States and EFTA States in light of generally acknowledged scientific and technical progress. For that purpose, a working definition of ‘generally acknowledged’ scientific and technical progress was developed, consisting of scientific and technical advancements that have been observed in at least 16 Member States and EFTA States.












(9)


The results of the study were presented to stakeholders during a workshop and at the meeting of the group of coordinators for the recognition of professional qualifications. Based on the feedback received, the conclusions of the study were drafted, suggesting updates to the minimum training requirements set out in Directive 2005/36/EC in respect of training programmes as well as knowledge and skills.












(10)


The study (4) identified the following generally acknowledged scientific and technical advancements in training programmes in Member States and EFTA States that were not represented or not sufficiently represented in the minimum training requirements set out in Directive 2005/36/EC: the One Health concept; sustainability and transdisciplinarity; interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinary and soft skills; treatments and therapies; animal health and welfare; public health: hygiene and food safety; biology, digitalisation and digital data, as well as diagnostic and laboratory tools and techniques.












(11)


In accordance with the Joint Political Declaration of 28 September 2011 of the Member States and the Commission on explanatory documents (5), Member States have undertaken to accompany, in justified cases, the notification of their transposition measures with one or more documents to explain the relationship between the components of a directive and the corresponding parts of national transposition instruments. With regard to this Directive, the legislator considers the transmission of such documents to be justified.












(12)


Directive 2005/36/EC should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:



Article 1

Amendments to Directive 2005/36/EC

Directive 2005/36/EC is amended as follows:






(1)


in Article 38, paragraph 3 is replaced by the following:

‘3.   Training as a veterinary surgeon shall provide an assurance that the professional in question has acquired the following knowledge and skills:






(a)


knowledge of the sciences on which the activities of a veterinary surgeon are based and of the EU law relating to those activities;










(b)


adequate knowledge of the structure, functions, behaviour and physiological needs of animals, as well as the skills and competences needed for their husbandry, feeding, welfare, reproduction and hygiene in general;










(c)


the clinical, epidemiological and analytical skills and competences required for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of animals, as well as to assess and manage pain, safely perform aseptic surgery, sedation, anaesthesia and euthanasia, whether considered individually or in groups, including specific knowledge of the diseases which may be transmitted to humans;










(d)


adequate knowledge, skills and competences for preventive medicine, including competences relating to biosecurity, inquiries and certification;










(e)


adequate knowledge of the hygiene and technology involved in the production, manufacture and putting into circulation of animal feedstuffs or foodstuffs of animal origin intended for human consumption, including the skills and competences required to understand and explain good practice in this regard;










(f)


the knowledge, skills and competences required for the responsible and sensible use of veterinary medicinal products, in order to treat animals and to ensure the safety of the food chain and the protection of the environment;










(g)


adequate knowledge and understanding of the One Health concept, including skills and competences for its application and integration in veterinary public health;










(h)


knowledge of the organisation and management related to a veterinary business, including practice management and animal health economics; adequate knowledge, skills and competences on interpersonal and interprofessional interaction, communication, teamworking and multi-disciplinary collaboration;










(i)


adequate knowledge of data management, information technology and digital technologies, and the skills and competences necessary for their practical application in the veterinary domain.’




;









(2)


Annex V is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Directive.






Article 2

Transposition


1.   Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive by 10 April 2027 at the latest. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.


2.   Member States shall communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.



Article 3

Entry into force

This Directive shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.


Article 4

Addressees

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.




Done at Brussels, 10 April 2025.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/36/oj.

(2)  Green Paper, Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive, COM(2011) 367 final of 22 June 2011.

(3)  Directive 2013/55/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications and Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012 on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System (‘the IMI Regulation’) (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 132, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2013/55/oj).

(4)  European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Mapping and assessment of developments of one of the sectoral professions under Directive 2005/36/EC – The profession of veterinary surgeon – Final study, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022.

(5)  
            OJ C 369, 17.12.2011, p. 14.




ANNEX
In Annex V to Directive 2005/36/EC, point 5.4.1 is replaced by the following:

‘5.4.1   Study programme for veterinary surgeons

The programme of studies leading to the evidence of formal qualifications in veterinary medicine shall include at least the subjects listed below.
Instruction in one or more of these subjects may be given as part of, or in association with, other courses.






A.


Basic subjects






—


Physics










—


Chemistry










—


Animal and cell biology










—


Plant biology










—


Biomathematics














B.


Specific subjects






a.


Basic sciences:






—


Anatomy (including histology and embryology)










—


Physiology










—


Biochemistry










—


Genetics and molecular genetics










—


Pharmacy, pharmacology and pharmacotherapy (including antimicrobial resistance)










—


Toxicology










—


Microbiology










—


Immunology










—


Epidemiology










—


Professional ethics














b.


Clinical sciences:






—


Obstetrics










—


Pathology (including pathological anatomy)










—


Parasitology










—


Clinical medicine and surgery (including anaesthetics)










—


Clinical lectures on the various domestic animals, poultry and other animal species










—


Preventive medicine










—


Diagnostic imaging










—


Reproduction and reproductive disorders










—


Veterinary state medicine and public health










—


Veterinary legislation and forensic veterinary medicine










—


Therapeutics










—


Propaedeutics














c.


Animal production






—


Animal production










—


Animal nutrition










—


Agronomy










—


Rural economics










—


Animal husbandry and herd health management










—


Veterinary hygiene










—


Animal welfare, ethology and protection














d.


Food hygiene






—


Inspection and control of animal feedstuff or foodstuff of animal origin










—


Food hygiene, technology and food microbiology










—


Practical work (including practical work in places where slaughtering and processing of foodstuffs takes place)












Practical training may be in the form of a training period, provided that such training is full-time and under the direct control of the competent authority, and does not exceed six months within the aggregate training period of five years study.
The distribution of the theoretical and practical training among the various groups of subjects shall be balanced and coordinated in such a way that the knowledge and experience may be acquired in a manner which will enable veterinary surgeons to perform all their duties.’
            




ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir_del/2025/1223/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)