Infokiri




Study Supporting an Impact Assessment of Directive 2005/36/EC

Questionnaire on costs targeting competent authorities







16 March 2026








Table of Contents
1 Introduction to the questionnaire and its purpose 1
1.1 Background of the study and objectives 1
1.2 Overview of the questionnaire and instructions 1
1.3 Data protection and usage permissions 2
2 Questionnaire 3



1 Introduction to the questionnaire and its purpose
1.1 Background of the study and objectives
Our consortium composed of Ernst & Young and IRS (Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale, Italy) has been tasked by the European Commission, Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), to undertake a Study to support the Impact Assessment of Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications.1
As part of this study, we are seeking feedback from relevant stakeholders regarding:
• The functioning of the current recognition processes
• The challenges encountered during the recognition processes
• Potential ways to improve – particularly through digital tools and processes – the recognition of professional qualifications in the EU.
1.2 Overview of the questionnaire and instructions
This questionnaire focuses specifically on the costs (both monetary and not) incurred by competent authorities to carry out the recognition process. We kindly ask you to provide a single consolidated answer, collecting feedback from all relevant staff in your organisation.
The questionnaire is composed of the following sections:
1. Personal information
2. Before the recognition process
3. During the recognition process
4. Concluding questions
The survey comprises both closed and open-ended questions. You are kindly invited to provide any further explanation and details in the open-ended questions. You can access the survey here.
Please note also that:
• You can save your draft questionnaire by pressing “Next” and closing the page;
• You need to make sure you have submitted the questionnaire using the button “Submit” once the questionnaire is completed.

Your feedback is crucial to understand how the recognition process currently works, and how it can be improved, especially through the implementation of digital tools and processes. Therefore, we would be very grateful if you could complete this questionnaire to inform the study.

1.3 Data protection and usage permissions      
Ernst & Young and IRS will consider the information provided as confidential and will use it only for the purposes of the present study on the behalf of the European Commission.
No sensitive personal data are captured within this questionnaire. This means that your response will be aggregated (i.e. they will not be analysed individually) and treated anonymously. The responses will be processed in accordance with the GDPR.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Study Team via e-mail, should you have any questions: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]
Thank you for your participation – your input to the study is highly appreciated!


2 Questionnaire
Section
Questions
Answer options
Type of response
Personal information
1. Name of the organisation/institution you belong to

Free text

2. Your role

Free text

3. Your first name

Free text

4. Your last name

Free text

5. Your email address

Free text

6. Country in which your organisation is based
• Drop-down menu of EU27 Member States
Multiple choice (one option)

7. Organisation size
• Micro (1 to 9 employees)
• Small (10 to 49 employees)
• Medium (50 to 249 employees)
• Large (250 or more)
Multiple choice (one option)

8. How many FTEs in your organisation work on aspects related to the recognition of professional qualifications?
• Less than 0.5 FTE
• 0.5–1 FTE
• 1–2 FTEs
• 2–5 FTEs
• 5–10 FTEs
• More than 10 FTEs (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice (one option)

9. What is the average annual salary (in EUR) of staff involved in managing the recognition process in your organisation?

Free text

10. Regulated profession(s) covered by your organisation
• Nurse
• Midwife
• Doctor
• Dentist
• Pharmacist
• Architect
• Veterinary surgeon
• Other (please, specify: ___)
Multiple choice (one option)
2. Before the recognition process
11. What are the annual estimated costs – in terms of man-days – incurred by your organisation to conduct the following activities?
COLUMNS
• Less than 10 man-days
• 10-20 man-days
• 20-30 man-days
• 30-40 man-days
• 40-50 man-days
• 50 or more man-days (please, specify: ____)
• Do not know
• Not applicable

ROWS
• Maintaining up-to-date information on national portals and on the Your Europe/Single Digital Gateway interfaces
• Responding to inquiries received from applicants or other competent authorities during the preliminary stage of the applications (e.g.: on documents to be presented, fees, online or in-presence procedures, etc.)
• Checking the Regulated Professions Database (e.g.: alerts, notifications from other competent authorities)
• Updating information on the Regulated Professions Database (e.g.: on outcomes of recognition procedures)
• Producing required certificates (e.g.: certificate of conformity, of good standing, of training content) for outgoing applicants (home MS competent authorities)

Matrix (one option per row)

12. What are the most frequent reasons for inquiries received from applicants or other competent authorities at the preliminary stage?
• Clarification of documentation requirements
• Clarification of applicable fees
• Clarification of procedural steps or timelines
• Clarification of online vs in-person requirements
• Requests due to inconsistent or outdated information
• Other (please specify: ___)

Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed
3. During the recognition process
13. What information is needed to assess the authenticity of a diploma? 

Open question

14. Is it possible to conduct the full recognition process electronically/online (without the need for paper copies, physical appointments, etc.)?
• Yes, fully
• Yes, partially
• No
• Do not know
Multiple choice (one option)

15. What would you need to trust digital documents (e.g., link to a qualification record, link to accreditation, etc.)? 

Open question

16. If you answered “No” or “Partially”, which parts of the recognition process still require non-digital steps?

• Submission of documents
• Identity verification
• Payment of fees
• Communication with applicants
• Communication with other competent authorities
• Final decision or delivery of recognition certificate
• Appeals handling
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

17. What are the costs – in monetary terms - incurred yearly by your organisation to conduct the following activities? For any of the selected options, please specify the cost amount (EUR) incurred. If you do not recall the exact amount, please provide an indication, range (e.g.: 5-10 EUR)

• Developing and updating electronic templates used during the recognition process [please specify amount in EUR]
• Maintaining servers [please specify amount in EUR]
• Other IT costs (e.g.: e-mail systems; online portals; case management systems; secure communication channels, etc.) [please specify amount in EUR]
• Maintaining phone services [please specify amount in EUR]
• Cybersecurity and data protection compliance (GDPR-related) [please specify amount in EUR]
• Printing services [please specify amount in EUR]
• Training the staff in your organisation to remain updated on IMI changes, EPC rules, PQD requirements, etc. [please specify amount in EUR]
Multiple choice (multiple options)

18. What is the estimated annual cost – in terms of man-days – for the following activities?
COLUMNS
• Less than 10 man-days
• 10-20 man-days
• 20-30 man-days
• 30-40 man-days
• 40-50 man-days
• 50 or more man-days (please, specify: ___)
• Do not know
• Not applicable

ROWS
• Digitalising paper-based files (e.g.: scanning, OCR, management of electronic archives)
• Training the staff in your organisation to remain updated on IMI changes, EPC rules, PQD requirements, etc.?
• Verifying the authenticity of documents received from applicants (e.g.: contacting training institutions, checking signatures, stamps etc)
• Assessing the equivalence of training (e.g.: comparing curricula with national requirements, using EQF/NQF)
• Communicating with other CAs via IMI (managing IMI requests, tracking deadlines, following up on missing replies)
• Drafting and sending recognition decisions
• Handling appeals, if applicants contest the outcome
Matrix (one option per row)

19. From your organisation’s perspective, how proportionate are the documentation requirements currently imposed on applicants?
• Fully proportionate
• Mostly proportionate
• Somewhat excessive
• Clearly excessive
Single choice

20. Which factors most frequently contribute to delays in recognition procedures handled by your organisation?
• Incomplete or incorrect documentation submitted by applicants
• Delays in receiving information from other competent authorities
• Delays in authenticity checks (e.g. institutions, authorities)
• Internal capacity constraints (staffing, workload)
• IT or interoperability issues
• Appeals or legal challenges - Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed
4. Concluding questions
21. Has your organisation digitalised the recognition process in the last 5-10 years?
• Yes, partially
• Yes, fully
• No
Multiple choice (multiple options)

22. What parts of the recognition process have been digitalised in the last 5-10 years? [Question only for those who replied yes in Q21]
• Communication with applicants
• Communication with other CAs
• Online receipt of required documents from applicants
• Other (please, specify: _________)
Multiple choice (one option)

23. Despite digitalisation efforts, which activities still require significant manual intervention?
• Verification of authenticity of documents
• Assessment of training equivalence
• Communication with other competent authorities
• Appeals handling
• Data entry or duplication across systems
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

24. If your organisation digitalised the recognition process, either partially or fully, what were the main savings accrued? For each option selected, please provide an estimate of the annual yearly savings [Question only for those who replied Yes in Q21]
• Printing [please specify amount in EUR]
• Staff costs [please specify amount in EUR]
• Time spent for digitalising paper documents [please specify amount in man-days]
• Other (please, specify type of saving and amount: _________)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

25. How would you characterise the time profile of the savings generated by digitalisation?
• Immediate and recurring
• Gradual increase over time
• Mainly one-off or transitional
Single choice

26. Did you incur any other costs for the recognition process, not already captured in the current survey? If so, please provide more information and their amount (EUR)

Free text

27. How would your organisation or you have handled delays in the recognition process if the digitalization or simplification measures discussed had not been implemented?
• We would have gone ahead anyway, even with the delays.
• We would have used temporary or work-around solutions, like hiring temporary workers, outsourcing, or making temporary plans.
• We would have put off or cut back on hiring or activities.
• We would have given up on the recognition process or the plans for moving.
• Not applicable or don't know
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

28. How much do you think the overall length of the procedure (or time-to-hire) would be cut down on average if all of the measures talked about were put into place?
• Not a big drop
• Small decrease (up to 10–15%)
• Moderate drop (15% to 30%)
• A big drop (more than 30%)
• Not sure / It depends on the case
Single choice

29. How often do you think the benefits will actually happen?
• In most cases or procedures
• A lot of the time, but not all the time
• Only in cases that are complicated or cross-border
• Not often
• I don't know
Single choice

30. What do you think would be the benefits of fully digitalising the recognition process?
• Shorter recognition processes (e.g.: shorter time from application to decision)
• Lower costs (e.g.: for documents, apostille, etc.)
• Higher efficiency (e.g.: less staff needed)
• Lower administrative burden (e.g.: fewer intermediate processes; reduced need for in-person appointments, etc.)
• Other (please, specify: _____________)

Multiple choice (multiple options)

31. From your perspective, what are the main constraints affecting cooperation with other competent authorities (e.g. via IMI)?
• Delayed responses from other authorities - Lack of clear deadlines
• Differences in national procedures or requirements
• Limited staff capacity
• Technical or usability issues with IMI - Language barriers
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

32. Please feel free to add any final remarks that you may consider relevant for our study

Free text

This is the end of the survey. Thank you for your valuable contribution!




Study Supporting an Impact Assessment of Directive 2005/36/EC

Questionnaire on costs targeting competent authorities







16 March 2026








Table of Contents
1 Introduction to the questionnaire and its purpose 1
1.1 Background of the study and objectives 1
1.2 Overview of the questionnaire and instructions 1
1.3 Data protection and usage permissions 2
2 Questionnaire 3



1 Introduction to the questionnaire and its purpose
1.1 Background of the study and objectives
Our consortium composed of Ernst & Young and IRS (Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale, Italy) has been tasked by the European Commission, Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), to undertake a Study to support the Impact Assessment of Directive 2005/36/EC on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications.1
As part of this study, we are seeking feedback from relevant stakeholders regarding:
• The functioning of the current recognition processes
• The challenges encountered during the recognition processes
• Potential ways to improve – particularly through digital tools and processes – the recognition of professional qualifications in the EU.
1.2 Overview of the questionnaire and instructions
This questionnaire focuses specifically on the costs (both monetary and not) incurred by competent authorities to carry out the recognition process. We kindly ask you to provide a single consolidated answer, collecting feedback from all relevant staff in your organisation.
The questionnaire is composed of the following sections:
1. Personal information
2. Before the recognition process
3. During the recognition process
4. Concluding questions
The survey comprises both closed and open-ended questions. You are kindly invited to provide any further explanation and details in the open-ended questions. You can access the survey here.
Please note also that:
• You can save your draft questionnaire by pressing “Next” and closing the page;
• You need to make sure you have submitted the questionnaire using the button “Submit” once the questionnaire is completed.

Your feedback is crucial to understand how the recognition process currently works, and how it can be improved, especially through the implementation of digital tools and processes. Therefore, we would be very grateful if you could complete this questionnaire to inform the study.

1.3 Data protection and usage permissions      
Ernst & Young and IRS will consider the information provided as confidential and will use it only for the purposes of the present study on the behalf of the European Commission.
No sensitive personal data are captured within this questionnaire. This means that your response will be aggregated (i.e. they will not be analysed individually) and treated anonymously. The responses will be processed in accordance with the GDPR.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Study Team via e-mail, should you have any questions: [email protected] mailto:[email protected]
Thank you for your participation – your input to the study is highly appreciated!


2 Questionnaire
Section
Questions
Answer options
Type of response
Personal information
1. Name of the organisation/institution you belong to

Free text

2. Your role

Free text

3. Your first name

Free text

4. Your last name

Free text

5. Your email address

Free text

6. Country in which your organisation is based
• Drop-down menu of EU27 Member States
Multiple choice (one option)

7. Organisation size
• Micro (1 to 9 employees)
• Small (10 to 49 employees)
• Medium (50 to 249 employees)
• Large (250 or more)
Multiple choice (one option)

8. How many FTEs in your organisation work on aspects related to the recognition of professional qualifications?
• Less than 0.5 FTE
• 0.5–1 FTE
• 1–2 FTEs
• 2–5 FTEs
• 5–10 FTEs
• More than 10 FTEs (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice (one option)

9. What is the average annual salary (in EUR) of staff involved in managing the recognition process in your organisation?

Free text

10. Regulated profession(s) covered by your organisation
• Nurse
• Midwife
• Doctor
• Dentist
• Pharmacist
• Architect
• Veterinary surgeon
• Other (please, specify: ___)
Multiple choice (one option)
2. Before the recognition process
11. What are the annual estimated costs – in terms of man-days – incurred by your organisation to conduct the following activities?
COLUMNS
• Less than 10 man-days
• 10-20 man-days
• 20-30 man-days
• 30-40 man-days
• 40-50 man-days
• 50 or more man-days (please, specify: ____)
• Do not know
• Not applicable

ROWS
• Maintaining up-to-date information on national portals and on the Your Europe/Single Digital Gateway interfaces
• Responding to inquiries received from applicants or other competent authorities during the preliminary stage of the applications (e.g.: on documents to be presented, fees, online or in-presence procedures, etc.)
• Checking the Regulated Professions Database (e.g.: alerts, notifications from other competent authorities)
• Updating information on the Regulated Professions Database (e.g.: on outcomes of recognition procedures)
• Producing required certificates (e.g.: certificate of conformity, of good standing, of training content) for outgoing applicants (home MS competent authorities)

Matrix (one option per row)

12. What are the most frequent reasons for inquiries received from applicants or other competent authorities at the preliminary stage?
• Clarification of documentation requirements
• Clarification of applicable fees
• Clarification of procedural steps or timelines
• Clarification of online vs in-person requirements
• Requests due to inconsistent or outdated information
• Other (please specify: ___)

Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed
3. During the recognition process
13. What information is needed to assess the authenticity of a diploma? 

Open question

14. Is it possible to conduct the full recognition process electronically/online (without the need for paper copies, physical appointments, etc.)?
• Yes, fully
• Yes, partially
• No
• Do not know
Multiple choice (one option)

15. What would you need to trust digital documents (e.g., link to a qualification record, link to accreditation, etc.)? 

Open question

16. If you answered “No” or “Partially”, which parts of the recognition process still require non-digital steps?

• Submission of documents
• Identity verification
• Payment of fees
• Communication with applicants
• Communication with other competent authorities
• Final decision or delivery of recognition certificate
• Appeals handling
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

17. What are the costs – in monetary terms - incurred yearly by your organisation to conduct the following activities? For any of the selected options, please specify the cost amount (EUR) incurred. If you do not recall the exact amount, please provide an indication, range (e.g.: 5-10 EUR)

• Developing and updating electronic templates used during the recognition process [please specify amount in EUR]
• Maintaining servers [please specify amount in EUR]
• Other IT costs (e.g.: e-mail systems; online portals; case management systems; secure communication channels, etc.) [please specify amount in EUR]
• Maintaining phone services [please specify amount in EUR]
• Cybersecurity and data protection compliance (GDPR-related) [please specify amount in EUR]
• Printing services [please specify amount in EUR]
• Training the staff in your organisation to remain updated on IMI changes, EPC rules, PQD requirements, etc. [please specify amount in EUR]
Multiple choice (multiple options)

18. What is the estimated annual cost – in terms of man-days – for the following activities?
COLUMNS
• Less than 10 man-days
• 10-20 man-days
• 20-30 man-days
• 30-40 man-days
• 40-50 man-days
• 50 or more man-days (please, specify: ___)
• Do not know
• Not applicable

ROWS
• Digitalising paper-based files (e.g.: scanning, OCR, management of electronic archives)
• Training the staff in your organisation to remain updated on IMI changes, EPC rules, PQD requirements, etc.?
• Verifying the authenticity of documents received from applicants (e.g.: contacting training institutions, checking signatures, stamps etc)
• Assessing the equivalence of training (e.g.: comparing curricula with national requirements, using EQF/NQF)
• Communicating with other CAs via IMI (managing IMI requests, tracking deadlines, following up on missing replies)
• Drafting and sending recognition decisions
• Handling appeals, if applicants contest the outcome
Matrix (one option per row)

19. From your organisation’s perspective, how proportionate are the documentation requirements currently imposed on applicants?
• Fully proportionate
• Mostly proportionate
• Somewhat excessive
• Clearly excessive
Single choice

20. Which factors most frequently contribute to delays in recognition procedures handled by your organisation?
• Incomplete or incorrect documentation submitted by applicants
• Delays in receiving information from other competent authorities
• Delays in authenticity checks (e.g. institutions, authorities)
• Internal capacity constraints (staffing, workload)
• IT or interoperability issues
• Appeals or legal challenges - Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed
4. Concluding questions
21. Has your organisation digitalised the recognition process in the last 5-10 years?
• Yes, partially
• Yes, fully
• No
Multiple choice (multiple options)

22. What parts of the recognition process have been digitalised in the last 5-10 years? [Question only for those who replied yes in Q21]
• Communication with applicants
• Communication with other CAs
• Online receipt of required documents from applicants
• Other (please, specify: _________)
Multiple choice (one option)

23. Despite digitalisation efforts, which activities still require significant manual intervention?
• Verification of authenticity of documents
• Assessment of training equivalence
• Communication with other competent authorities
• Appeals handling
• Data entry or duplication across systems
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

24. If your organisation digitalised the recognition process, either partially or fully, what were the main savings accrued? For each option selected, please provide an estimate of the annual yearly savings [Question only for those who replied Yes in Q21]
• Printing [please specify amount in EUR]
• Staff costs [please specify amount in EUR]
• Time spent for digitalising paper documents [please specify amount in man-days]
• Other (please, specify type of saving and amount: _________)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

25. How would you characterise the time profile of the savings generated by digitalisation?
• Immediate and recurring
• Gradual increase over time
• Mainly one-off or transitional
Single choice

26. Did you incur any other costs for the recognition process, not already captured in the current survey? If so, please provide more information and their amount (EUR)

Free text

27. How would your organisation or you have handled delays in the recognition process if the digitalization or simplification measures discussed had not been implemented?
• We would have gone ahead anyway, even with the delays.
• We would have used temporary or work-around solutions, like hiring temporary workers, outsourcing, or making temporary plans.
• We would have put off or cut back on hiring or activities.
• We would have given up on the recognition process or the plans for moving.
• Not applicable or don't know
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

28. How much do you think the overall length of the procedure (or time-to-hire) would be cut down on average if all of the measures talked about were put into place?
• Not a big drop
• Small decrease (up to 10–15%)
• Moderate drop (15% to 30%)
• A big drop (more than 30%)
• Not sure / It depends on the case
Single choice

29. How often do you think the benefits will actually happen?
• In most cases or procedures
• A lot of the time, but not all the time
• Only in cases that are complicated or cross-border
• Not often
• I don't know
Single choice

30. What do you think would be the benefits of fully digitalising the recognition process?
• Shorter recognition processes (e.g.: shorter time from application to decision)
• Lower costs (e.g.: for documents, apostille, etc.)
• Higher efficiency (e.g.: less staff needed)
• Lower administrative burden (e.g.: fewer intermediate processes; reduced need for in-person appointments, etc.)
• Other (please, specify: _____________)

Multiple choice (multiple options)

31. From your perspective, what are the main constraints affecting cooperation with other competent authorities (e.g. via IMI)?
• Delayed responses from other authorities - Lack of clear deadlines
• Differences in national procedures or requirements
• Limited staff capacity
• Technical or usability issues with IMI - Language barriers
• Other (please specify: ___)
Multiple choice – multiple answers allowed

32. Please feel free to add any final remarks that you may consider relevant for our study

Free text

This is the end of the survey. Thank you for your valuable contribution!