19 February 2026 — Consultation Response
Accountancy Europe has responded to the European Commission’s public consultation on professional qualifications for regulated and third country professions. The consultation forms part of the European Commission’s Skills Portability Initiative (SPI) which aims to further integrate the EU Single Market by improving the recognition and understanding of skills and professional qualifications across borders.
Through this survey, the Commission seeks input on the challenges individuals and organisations face when qualifications are recognised between Member States or from third countries, and on possible solutions to make recognition processes simpler, more transparent and more reliable, including through digital tools and verifiable credentials.
Accountancy Europe welcomes efforts to enhance transparency and digitalisation of qualifications across the EU, while stressing that quality, proportionality and simplification must remain central to any future EU action.
Accountancy Europe calls for simplification and better integration of existing EU frameworks rather than the introduction of new tools or parallel systems. The current framework for professional qualifications is complex and can be difficult to navigate in practice for professionals, employers and competent authorities. The organisation therefore advocates for clearer, more coherent and more user-friendly mechanisms that reduce administrative burden, improve usability and enhance legal certainty, while preserving existing quality safeguards.
Accountancy Europe recognises the advantages of further digitalisation, including the use of verifiable digital credentials and improved cross-border sharing of qualifications. However, digital solutions must be accompanied by strong safeguards related to data security, fraud prevention and accountability, particularly considering emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Digital tools should strengthen transparency, comparability and trust, but must not replace professional judgement or weaken established quality controls.
From a practical perspective, Accountancy Europe highlights that employers in the accountancy and audit sector often need to invest additional effort to understand and compare different education systems, professional qualifications and prior experience across countries. Differences in national frameworks, terminology and regulatory requirements remain significant. Moreover, expertise in local business and tax law is essential in many cases, reinforcing the importance of maintaining appropriate national safeguards when assessing qualifications across borders.
