Glossary - E

German: Erwerbstätigkeit

Employment is work which is regulated by contract. Employed persons include:

• Employees
• Salaried employee
• Self-employed people
• Freelancers
• Persons in a mini job

German: Gleichwertigkeit

see recognition

German: Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung
Also: Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung

In Germany, the competent authority checks whether a foreign professional qualification is equivalent to the German reference occupation. This check is called the equivalence assessment and is conducted as part of the recognition procedure.

For this check, the competent authority needs all documents relating to the foreign professional qualification. For example:

• Vocational qualification certificate
• Evidence of professional experience

German: Spätaussiedler
Also: Aussiedler, Russlanddeutsche

Ethnic German resettlers are people of German descent who immigrate to Germany from the former Soviet Union or from eastern Europe. These persons are officially recognised as ethnic German resettlers.

The ethnic German repatriates certificate enables them to apply for a special procedure for professional recognition. Another name for the ethnic German repatriates’ certificate is Expellee Identification Card.

German: EU-Bescheinigung
Also: EU-Bescheinigung über Berufserfahrung, EG-Bescheinigung
English: Certificate of Professional Experience

To work in an EU state, official proof of professional experience in another EU member state is often required. The so-called EU attestation is particularly important in Germany for professions in the crafts and trades sector and in the area of industry and commerce.

The competent authority for the profession in the country of origin grants the EU attestation.

German: EU-Berufsanerkennungsrichtlinie
Also: Berufsanerkennungsrichtlinie, Anerkennungsrichtlinie

The official name for the EU Recognition Directive is: Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications. The directive regulates the recognition of professional qualifications between countries of the European Union (EU) with respect to regulated professions.

The most important rules are:

• The foreign professional qualification must be equivalent to the German professional qualification.
• The competent authority must take into account professional experience in the recognition procedure.
• Professional experience may compensate for substantial differences between the foreign professional qualification and the German reference occupation.
• Individuals with insufficient professional experience are also able to compensate for substantial differences via compensation measures.

The directive entered into force on 15 October 2005 and was reformed by Directive 2013/55/EU.

German:  EU/EWR/Schweiz

EU/EEA/Switzerland is the abbreviation for: European Union/European Economic Area/Switzerland.

The member states of the European Union (EU) include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

The European Economic Area (EEA) includes: All EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.

Switzerland has entered into a treaty with the European Union. This states that Switzerland participates in the European system of professional recognition.

The European Professional Card (EPC) is an electronic procedure for the recognition of professional qualifications. It applies only to countries of the European Union (EU).

The EPC currently exists for the following professions:

• Pharmacist
• Nurse
• Physiotherapist
• Mountain guide
• Estate agent

Further information on the EPC 
Your Europe: European Professional Card - EPC

German: Ausbildungsnachweis

Evidence of formal qualifications documents that a professional qualification covers. For example:

• Certificates
• Examination certificates
• Diploma

Evidence of formal professional qualifications is issued by an authority. It must be issued in the country in which the professional qualification was obtained.

German: Prüfungsgebühren

Examination fees are the cost of participating in a state examination. This means that individuals may be required to pay money for participating in an examination.

German: Externenprüfung

The external examination is a specific examination for dual training occupations.

The external examination enables individuals without vocational education and training to complete a vocational qualification in a training occupation. They must fulfil the following conditions:

• The individual has already worked in the profession in which they are sitting the examination.
• The period of working was at least 1.5 times as long as the duration of training in this profession.
• They must pass the external examination.