Labour shortage in the healthcare sector:  

Does the 2005 Professional Qualifications Directive
need update? 

May 22 2024 | (Brussels – CESI office) | 12:00 – 14:00 |  

Interpretation will be provided based on participation 

Light lunch 

Register here 

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape heavily affected by labour staff shortages, the need for competent, skilled, and adaptable healthcare professionals is exploding.  

Following the informal meeting of health ministers on 23-24 April 2024 and anticipating their recommendations for the formal meeting on 21 June, this lunchtime CESI@noon meeting aims to better assess the impact of the recognition (or lack of) of professional qualifications on the availability of healthcare workforce in various member states. 

The 2005 Professional Qualifications Directive has long been the cornerstone for ensuring the quality and mobility of healthcare professionals (only 6 categories represented by general care nurses, dental practitioners, veterinary surgeons, midwives, pharmacists, and doctors) across the European Union. Facing demographic transition, gender disparities, the COVID-19 experiences, evolving healthcare needs and new healthcare technologies, it is time to reassess and potential revise this directive to address the challenges and opportunities of modern healthcare.  

This event seeks to address the following inquiries: 

1.      What are the advantages and disadvantages of revising the Directive? 

2.      Is it advisable to expand the scope of the Professional Qualifications Directive to encompass additional healthcare professionals? 

3.      Might a revision facilitate greater mobility of the healthcare workforce, improve recognition of existing healthcare professionals, and consequently alleviate current labor shortages? 

Draft agenda 

#InvestInPublicServices #SocialEurope #EU2030

11:30 Welcome & light lunch

12:00 Welcome address & introduction

Lina Gálvez Muñoz, Member of the European Parliament (tbc)

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI

Martin le Vrang, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission

12.30 The challenges

Dolores Martínez Márquez, Secretary General of SAE

Oliver Krzywanek, Deputy Head of the Health Division at dbb, komba

Paul De Raeve, Secretary General of the European Federation of Nurses Association (EFN)

13:00 Possible responses

Elizabeth Kuipers, Associate Director and Head of the Social Europe and Well-being programme at European Policy Centre

Tina Weber, Researcher at Eurofound

William Vandezande, Cabinet expert for the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (tbc)

 13.40 Open discussion with participants

 13.55 The way ahead and recommendations

 Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI

 14.00 End