Regulated Professions

In accordance with the Romanian Classification of Occupations (RCO), a profession is a specialisation (qualification) obtained through studies.

A regulated profession is a professional activity or set of activities that constitute that profession in Romania, regulated by national law.

A regulated professional activity is a professional activity for which access to or the pursuit of that activity in Romania is directly or indirectly subject, in accordance with Romanian legislation, to the possession of a document attesting to a certain level of training.

Activities pursued under a professional title, if use of such a title is reserved only to holders of documents attesting to that level of training, are deemed to be regulated professional activities.

Activities carried out by members of a professional organisation are also deemed to be regulated professional activities if that organisation:

• has as its main purpose the promotion and maintenance of a high standard in a certain professional field;
• is recognised under Romanian law for achieving that purpose;
• issues to its members a document attesting to the level of training;
• requires its members to observe a set of rules of professional conduct drawn up by it;
• confers on its members the right to use a professional title or its abbreviated form and to enjoy the status corresponding to that level of training.

A list of regulated professions in Romania and the competent authorities corresponding to each regulated profession are laid down in Law No 200 of 2004 on the recognition of diplomas and professional qualifications for regulated professions in Romania, as subsequently amended and supplemented, and may be consulted by accessing the Regulated Professions Database.

In order to have access to or pursue a regulated profession in Romania, any diploma, certificate or attestation of competence obtained in another Member State that entitles the holder to pursue the same profession in that Member State will be recognised as having the same effects as those obtained in Romania.

The National Centre for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas (CNRED) is the assistance centre in Romania tasked with providing assistance to citizens and assistance centres in other Member States on the recognition of professional qualifications, including information on national legislation governing professions and the practice thereof, on labour and social security legislation, and on the rules of professional ethics, where applicable.

The European Professional Card (EPC) is an electronic procedure that can be used to have a regulated profession recognised in another Member State. The EPC is an electronic certificate attesting that the professional has met all the requirements for the temporary and occasional provision of services in a host Member State.

For the time being, the EPC procedure can be used only for the professions of: general care nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist, mountain guide and estate agent.

If a citizen’s profession is regulated in the Member State where that citizen wishes to pursue their profession, it may be necessary to obtain recognition of professional qualifications in that country.