Specifically, this includes the draft Law on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications, which Parliament passed on first reading. It supported this legislative initiative by the Ministry of Education and Research, under which the national legal framework for the recognition of professional qualifications obtained abroad will be aligned with European standards. The bill transposes a number of EU directives and aims to ensure consistency between national and European procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications. Thus, a person who has obtained a qualification in an EU member state will be able to practice the same profession in Moldova, and persons who have obtained a qualification in Moldova will be able to benefit from the same principle in EU countries, provided they meet the conditions established by law. The document also defines regulated professions in Moldova in accordance with European requirements, which will facilitate the recognition of relevant qualifications in EU countries for the purpose of professional practice and professional mobility. In addition, vocational training within the national education system for regulated professions will be harmonized with the corresponding European qualifications. The draft law simplifies the process of recognizing qualifications and professional experience obtained abroad. Based on the principle that the recognition of qualifications applies equally regardless of the holder’s citizenship, the law also provides for the recognition of qualifications obtained in third countries, in accordance with the minimum training requirements for specific professions. At the same time, authorities will be able to establish their own procedures for recognizing qualifications obtained outside the EU by third-country nationals. Individuals whose professional qualifications are recognized will receive a European Professional Card from the host country — an electronic certificate confirming the recognition of their qualifications and allowing them either to provide services temporarily and periodically in the issuing country or to settle and practice their profession in that country. The bill also provides for the creation of a mechanism to notify of restrictions on the practice of professional activities, which will subsequently be developed by the government. The document introduces a mandatory proportionality test prior to the introduction of new regulated professions or changes to existing requirements. The assessment will evaluate, among other things, the risks to service recipients—consumers, professionals, or other persons involved—and will help ensure the proper functioning of the internal market, without restricting the right of member states to decide whether to regulate a profession and how to do so, in accordance with the principles of non-discrimination and proportionality. According to the authors, the new rules will benefit several groups. Employers will have greater confidence in qualifications recognized on the basis of clear and harmonized criteria at the regional level, individuals will benefit from simplified procedures for the recognition of qualifications and professional experience, and organizations providing education and training will gain international recognition and new opportunities to attract students from other European education systems. The bill will be considered by Parliament in its second reading, and once adopted, it will take effect on the day Moldova joins the European Union. // July 27, 2026 — InfoMarket.