EU Legislation

First Time Registration
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To be eligible to apply for registration as a pharmacist under the EU Route of Registration, you must be a national of a Member State of the European Union/European Economic Area or hold an entitlement to an enforceable community right

AND EITHER 
Hold a qualification in pharmacy from a Member State of the EU/EEA which complies in full with the Minimum Training Requirements as specified in Article 44 of Directive 2005/36/EC and which is listed in Annex V, section 5.6.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC. (O if not listed, is regarded as comparable to the qualification listed in the Annex and certified and treated as such by the competent authority of that State) – Automatic Recognition based on Qualification. This applies to people whose qualifications in pharmacy meet all the specified EU education and training requirements. The competent authority in the Member State in which a qualification is obtained will confirm this to the PSI. 

OR 
Hold a qualification in pharmacy from a Member State of the EU/EEA, the training for which was started before the reference date specified in Annex V for that Member State and have been effectively and lawfully engaged in one of the activities (which is also an activity regulated by that Member State) referred to in Article 45 of Directive 2005/36/EC for at least three consecutive years during the five years preceding the award of this certificate - Automatic Recognition based on Acquired Rights. This applies to people whose qualifications in pharmacy does not meet all the specified EU education and training requirements. In this case, to be eligible for registration as a pharmacist an individual must have practised independently as a pharmacist (in specified areas of practice) in a Member State for three consecutive years during the last five years. The competent authority in the Member State in which a pharmacist has practised will confirm this period of practice to the PSI.

OR 
General System – In an instance, where an individual is not in a position to provide certification of holding an Article 44 compliant qualification (Automatic Recognition based on Qualification) or is not in a position to meet the requirements of effective and lawful professional practice as outlined in Article 23 (Automatic Recognition based on Acquired Rights) his/her application for recognition would in all probability be progressed through a third route which is set out in Title III of the Professional Qualifications Directive and which is described as the “General System for the Recognition of Evidence of Training”; - (In short “The General System”). In the event that the requirements of effective and lawful professional practice are met, this particular route of access to registration is not available.  

The General System Route would also be applicable in instances where an EU/EEA citizen holds a formal qualification as a pharmacist granted by a competent authority of a third country which has been recognised by a competent authority in another EU state for the purpose of practising as a pharmacist within that EU state and who has at least three years practising as such in that state certified by the competent authority.

The documentation that would in general terms be required in the processing of an application under the EU route would include:  

  • a completed application form;  
  • a photocopy of the applicant’s birth certificate issued by country of birth (including original translation where appropriate) and marriage certificate (including original translation if appropriate);  
  • a photocopy of the applicant’s passport or national identity card (include original translation where appropriate);  
  • a photocopy of the applicant’s registration certificate OR licence to practice together with original translation (if appropriate);  
  • a photocopy of the applicant’s pharmacy qualification, diploma or other evidence of formal qualification in pharmacy together with original translation (if appropriate);  
  • a completed photo form;  
  • a completed health status form;  
  • a completed Statutory Declaration Form (this form can be submitted at the time of application OR at the EU Application Review & Information Meeting).

The applicant must also request that the appropriate Member State Competent Authority complete, on his/her behalf, the Certificate of Confirmation of Qualification in Pharmacy Form and Certificate of Professional Good Standing form. These documents must be forwarded directly to the PSI and upon receipt, the PSI may require authenticated translations to be provided by the applicant. In the event that an individual’s application is progressed through the General System Route, the applicant will be required to provide the PSI with any additional information encompassing the syllabus of the course he/she undertook, the professional experience gained since qualification and any instruction undertaken since. This is required as it is necessary to compare the training of the individual, with that of training delivered in this jurisdiction, considering in the process, the professional experience and any further training gleaned by the applicant since qualification.