Analysis: “Partial access to healthcare professions covered by the mechanism for automatic recognition of professional qualifications” by Sandra Mantu

On 25 February 2021, the Court of Justice delivered its ruling in Les chirurgiens-dentistes de France and Others (C-940/19) in which it concluded that Member States may authorise partial access to one of the professions covered by the mechanism for automatic recognition of professional qualifications provided for in Professional Qualifications Directive 2005/36, including certain healthcare professions.

The recognition of professional qualifications is essential for the realisation of the right to free movement for EU citizens who seek to carry out professional activities in either a self-employed or employed capacity in a different Member State than the state that issued their qualifications. Directive 2005/36 ensures that qualif