EU-wide recognition for 'accountant' qualification
Accountants will be covered in a new European Union directive on the mutual recognition within member countries of professional qualifications.
Link: Hunting down errors at the EU
The directive, approved by the European parliament, liberalising sector-specific rules already in place for the profession.
Most importantly, the directive allows any EU citizen who is legally established as an accountant in their home state to provide services ‘on a temporary and occasional basis’ elsewhere in the EU under their original professional title, without having to apply for recognition of their qualifications.
They would, however, have to follow local rules protecting clients from malpractice. The proposal will now be debated at the EU Council of Ministers.