title: Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/554 of 5 April 2022 on the recognition of qualifications for people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

text:
               6.4.2022

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               LI 107/1

      COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2022/554
      of 5 April 2022
      on the recognition of qualifications for people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
      THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 292 thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  Following the unprovoked Russian military aggression and invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which the European Union has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the European Union is facing an unprecedented inflow of people fleeing from the war and seeking protection. The number of people displaced from their homes and forced to flee Ukraine has reached some four million.

                  (2)

                  In its communication ‘European solidarity with refugees and those fleeing war in Ukraine’ of 8 March 2022 (1), the Commission outlined the substantial support the EU had made available to help people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the Member States receiving them. This includes direct humanitarian aid, emergency civil protection assistance, support at the border, as well as a clear legal status allowing those fleeing the war to receive immediate protection in the EU.

                  (3)

                  In its communication ‘Welcoming those fleeing war in Ukraine: Readying Europe to meet the needs’ of 23 March 2022 (2) the Commission sets out measures to help people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to ensure they can effectively access their rights. The measures include not only immediate ones to provide shelter, humanitarian aid and access to healthcare, but also action to ensure that people are smoothly integrated into the host countries and have access to education, housing and jobs. Government authorities, NGOs, and volunteers in Member States, particularly in the countries of first entry (Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary) but also in those of final destination, are doing their utmost to provide support and protection to people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

                  (4)

                  Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 (3) which activated the temporary protection mechanism set out in Directive 2001/55/EC (4), provides people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a clear legal status as soon as they arrive in the European Union. Temporary protection will in the first instance last 1 year and could automatically be renewed twice for 6 months each time. Temporary protection includes a residence permit, welfare support and healthcare, and access to housing, education and employment.

                  (5)

                  Article 12 of Directive 2001/55/EC states that Member States must authorise people enjoying temporary protection to engage in ‘employed or self-employed activities, subject to rules applicable to the profession’ as well as in activities such as educational opportunities for adults, vocational training and practical workplace experience.

                  (6)

                  The right to access the labour market is a key aspect of temporary protection. Experience shows that non-EU nationals, and in particular refugees, often have to take jobs below their qualification level (5). Providing a simple and rapid recognition mechanism contributes greatly to ensuring that people enjoying temporary protection can work in jobs for which they are qualified. This facilitates their integration and leads to better use of their skills, benefiting both the individual and the host community. It also ensures people gain relevant experience and skills during their period of temporary protection, which adds value to their qualifications when returning to the home country.

                  (7)

                  The Commission’s 2021-2027 action plan on integration and inclusion (6) recognises that facilitating the recognition of qualifications acquired in non-EU countries and increasing their comparability with EU qualifications is key to faster and fairer inclusion of refugees and migrants in the labour market. It also recognises that many highly educated migrants and refugees – in particular women – are over-qualified for their job, which may lead to depreciation of their skills. The action plan encourages Member States to ensure that procedures for recognising foreign qualifications are quick, fair, transparent and affordable.

                  (8)

                  If a Member State has opted to regulate a specific profession (7), people enjoying temporary protection will need to obtain recognition of their professional qualifications to engage in employed or self-employed regulated activities in that profession. Depending on the specific Member State, this can include for example different groups of health, teaching, legal, social or crafts professions. The recognition of third country nationals’ professional qualifications takes place at national level, applying the law and procedures of the host Member State unless international agreements apply.

                  (9)

                  For non-regulated occupations, requirements for employment are not regulated by law and can vary from very specific to very general. For these occupations there are no regulatory barriers to employing a person whose qualifications have not been recognised and there is no single process in place for the recognition of qualifications for purposes of entry into non-regulated occupations (8).

                  (10)

                  Some Member States and regions encounter shortages in a number of occupations across industrial ecosystems (9), including in several regulated professions. Recognition of professional qualifications can help address some of these shortages and achieve a more balanced labour market.

                  (11)

                  Recognition of professional qualifications should be complemented by a framework that allows the exercise of the professions in practice, avoids bureaucratic barriers and offers advice to those who need it.

                  (12)

                  For people fleeing the war, recognition of their qualifications will not be the first thing on their minds. It is nonetheless important to provide signposting and basic information so that people have it to hand once they need it. In addition to Member States providing information, the Commission put in place the ‘EU solidarity with Ukraine’ website (10).

                  (13)

                  In addition to Ukrainian nationals, Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 provides that Member States must apply either temporary protection or adequate protection under national law in respect of nationals of non-EU countries other than Ukraine who can prove they were legally residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 on the basis of a permanent resident permit. In addition to those enjoying temporary protection, the Commission therefore encourages Member States to, to the extent possible under national law, apply this Recommendation to people that have fled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and are beneficiaries of adequate protection under national law, in accordance with that Decision.

                  (14)

                  Directive 2005/36/EC (11) does not apply to third country nationals including those enjoying temporary protection. It contains rules for recognition of third country qualifications held by EU citizens. It imposes an obligation on Member States to not recognise any qualification held by EU or non-EU citizens relating to the professions listed in Title III, Chapter III, unless the minimum training conditions set out in that chapter are fulfilled. These professions are: doctors, certain specialised doctors, nurses responsible for general care, dental practitioners, veterinary surgeons, midwives, pharmacists and architects. Where professionals fleeing Russian aggression do not meet these minimum training requirements, it is essential to identify solutions how they can obtain the missing competences or how an appropriate and quick integration in the labour market can be achieved.

                  (15)

                  The current situation is characterised by a rapid inflow of a very large number of people, many of whom may be well-qualified. The long-established recognition systems and procedures in the Member States may not be designed to process so many applications at once. In particular, competent authorities in the host Member States might not be in a position to assess each one of them on a case-by-case basis and carry out a corresponding detailed analysis.

                  (16)

                  Information on Ukrainian qualifications, the Ukrainian qualifications system and the Ukrainian qualifications framework is crucial for Member States to be able to streamline processes and evaluate applications for the recognition of qualifications quickly.

                  (17)

                  Ukraine is a member of the European Higher Education Area that was created under the Bologna Process. The Bologna Process brings coherence to higher education systems across the European region and encourages fair and transparent recognition of qualifications. One of its main objectives is to support staff and student mobility. Countries participating in the Bologna Process have agreed to ensure the mutual recognition of qualifications for academic purposes. Rules on recognition of higher education qualifications for both professional purposes and further learning are set by the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (the Lisbon Recognition Convention) (12) to which all Member States except Greece, as well as Ukraine and other non-EU countries are parties.

                  (18)

                  The ENIC-NARIC network (European Network of Information Centres in the European Region-National Academic Recognition Information Centres in the European Union) developed the Erasmus+ Q-entry project, a database that covers Member States and non-EU countries and provides information on school-leaving qualifications giving access to higher education. This database includes information on Ukrainian qualifications and can be used to support the recognition process for people enjoying temporary protection.

                  (19)

                  Member States may face the challenge that applicants cannot provide evidence of formal qualifications. People fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may have been forced to leave without their original documentation of qualifications. Article VII of the Lisbon Recognition Convention obliges its parties to take all reasonable and feasible steps - within and in line with their respective legal framework - to develop alternative ways of assessment of the qualifications of refugees in situations where no documentary evidence can prove such qualification. The ‘Recommendation on the Recognition of Refugees’ Qualifications under the Lisbon Recognition Convention and Explanatory Memorandum’ (13), gives further guidance how Member States should proceed in this situation to properly implement Article VII of the convention.

                  (20)

                  Ukraine is one of the European Training Foundation’s longstanding partner countries. The European Training Foundation has created a resource hub (14) to support the recognition of qualifications, skills and studies from Ukraine. The resource hub will include information and documents such as reports and assessments on Ukrainian qualifications, information on the Ukrainian qualification system and framework, and information on the Ukrainian education and training system more widely. It will also contain labour market studies and analyses, project reports, contact points, and links to related websites such as qualifications databases. It will also share resources developed under the Erasmus+ Programme by the National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) like, for example, the Scand-D project with more than 300 Ukrainian diplomas featured. The resource hub will link to relevant databases and information on the Ukrainian higher education system and its academic qualifications, available on the Your Europe’s website (15) and on ENIC-NARIC network website (16).

                  (21)

                  The eTranslation tool developed by the Commission has been adapted to add Ukrainian as an available language. Translation from Russian is also possible and can be useful, given that many professionals in Ukraine obtained their diplomas in Russian. The tool allows recognition of text in pictures or scans of documents (optical character recognition, OCR). This will enable competent authorities to save time and speed up processes.

                  (22)

                  There is a high and increasing demand for healthcare professionals to meet the immediate needs of people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Skilled professionals with various backgrounds in healthcare could contribute to meeting these needs. Special emphasis needs to be put on paediatrics and related medical specialties due to the high number of children among the people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and on mental health services as people fleeing from war might suffer from severe traumatic experiences. The language barrier should not be an obstacle to treating those people as soon as possible to mitigate the damage. Where direct oral communication is crucial for trust-building and successful treatment, Ukrainian-speaking professionals could provide the necessary service.

                  (23)

                  The Commission published a guidance note during the COVID-19 crisis covering the recognition of health professionals with qualifications from outside the EU/EFTA (17).

                  (24)

                  Given the number of children that have fled Ukraine during the war, there is high demand for Ukrainian-speaking teachers who can help those children to be included in schools and have a stable routine as soon as possible. Experts have underlined how important a school routine is for children, as it can support them emotionally during an overwhelming and frightening time (18). It is crucial to ensure that governments and other authorities have the resources and capacity to provide both the displaced and local populations with access to full, equitable and quality education. This applies at all levels – early childhood education and care, primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education. Authorities should make the best use of teachers and other education personnel among the displaced to achieve this and to raise intercultural awareness within the hosting education system (19). Distance schooling can be explored where no options for in-classroom teaching are available. The Erasmus+ School Education Gateway provides access to supportive material, guidance documents and educational resources for teachers and other staff, also in Ukrainian language.

                  (25)

                  A Commission Decision of 19 March 2007 set up the group of coordinators for the recognition of professional qualifications (20) to, among other things, establish cooperation between Member States’ authorities and the Commission on questions relating to the recognition of professional qualifications. Member States may have already developed extensive systems on how to assess and recognise non-EU qualifications. This group can serve as a forum for the Commission and Member States to maintain a continuous dialogue to monitor the effective implementation of this Recommendation. Involving representatives of people fleeing Russian aggression, Ukrainian competent authorities and civil society are crucial for the effective implementation of these recommendations.

                  (26)

                  The Commission can provide Member States, upon their request, with tailor made expertise to implement these recommendations under its Technical Support Instrument.

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

         ORGANISING RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR PEOPLE ENJOYING TEMPORARY PROTECTION

                  1.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to ensure that professionals enjoying temporary protection under Directive 2001/55/EC can access jobs that correspond to their qualification level by relying on an efficient, rapid and well-functioning system of recognition of their professional qualifications. In this context, Member States should take measures to estimate the expected number of incoming professionals to ensure they have sufficient capacity to process applications for recognition.

                  2.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to issue swiftly their recognition decisions for incoming professionals enjoying temporary protection. If there are significant differences between the training acquired in a professional’s home country and the training required for the same activity in the host Member State, Member States should take the decision to impose any compensation measure as soon as possible, and are encouraged to do so no later than a month after the applicant asks for recognition.

                  3.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to reduce the formalities for recognition of professional qualifications to a minimum. To this end, Member States are encouraged:

                              —

                              to speed up the process by putting in place fast-track procedures for handling applications of professionals enjoying temporary protection;

                              —

                              to ensure that only essential documents are required;

                              —

                              to accept other forms of proof than original documents (e.g. digital copies);

                              —

                              to dispense with certain requirements, e.g. not asking for certified translations;

                              —

                              to reduce or eliminate costs, such as application fees, where possible.

                        In case of doubt about the authenticity of the qualification, verification should be quick and efficient. Digital tools like the FRAUDOC - Guidelines on Diploma Mills and Document Fraud for Credential Evaluators (21) may be used to that effect.

                  4.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to apply a flexible approach to treating incoming professionals enjoying temporary protection to allow a high number of cases to be processed in a short time with a positive outcome. In particular, Member States should consider checking qualifications of professionals only if it is essential, and should remove any restrictions and requirements that are not absolutely needed. The Commission reminds host Member States that they are allowed, but not obliged, to check the qualifications of professionals for whom no harmonised minimum training requirements exist.

                  5.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to identify situations in which an in-depth assessment of applications for recognition is not essential, especially in cases where the Member State has previously assessed the qualification for a particular profession and there are no serious doubts as to its equivalence with the comparable qualifications in the host Member State. If the outcome of such a previous assessment was favourable, the in-depth assessment should not be necessary.

                  6.

                  The Commission urges Member States to ensure a fast and efficient recognition procedure even when an in-depth assessment of qualifications is needed. In such cases, the assessment of the host Member State could follow a similar approach to that of the general system of recognition under Directive 2005/36/EC.

         FACILITATING ACADEMIC RECOGNITION FOR PEOPLE ENJOYING TEMPORARY PROTECTION

                  7.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to promote fast, flexible, and efficient recognition procedures for academic recognition by responsible institutions.

                  8.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to automatically recognise Ukrainian higher education qualifications that fulfil all the requirements from the Bologna Process.

                  9.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to provide further support to the National Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) to ensure that they have the necessary resources and capacities to deal with higher numbers of recognition requests and to enable them to provide support, guidance and training for credential evaluators.

                  10.

                  The Commission recommends that, as far as possible and in line with national law, a recognition decision made in one Member State should be accepted in other Member States.

         INFORMATION PROVISION AND USE OF ELECTRONIC TOOLS

                  11.

                  The Commission recommends Member States to provide their front-line services with appropriate and simple information in Ukrainian on recognition procedures within their territory. The information should be also available digitally and tailored to the needs and situation of people arriving from Ukraine, explaining in particular differences between Ukraine and the host country.

                  12.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to use the eTranslation (22) tool as a means to speed up recognition processes. Where feasible, machine translation should suffice.

                  13.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to be transparent with each other and the Commission and to share all information on Ukrainian qualifications and the Ukrainian education system they might have. The European Training Foundation has, at the request of the Commission, created a resource hub on Ukrainian qualifications where information can be shared.

         DEALING WITH INCOMPLETE EVIDENCE ON QUALIFICATIONS

                  14.

                  The Commission encourages Member States, where evidence of qualifications is missing, to first check whether a reliable confirmation of the qualification achieved can be obtained from the Ukrainian authorities. To facilitate this process, the Commission will work with Member States in cooperation with Ukrainian authorities and awarding bodies to have missing documentation of qualifications confirmed and will explore whether the European Digital Credentials for Learning (23) can be used to re-issue documentation of qualifications digitally for that purpose.

                  15.

                  The Commission reminds Member States that, if no other solution is possible, the ‘European Qualifications Passport for Refugees’ (24) developed by the Council of Europe together with partners, provides for an assessment of post-secondary qualifications based on available documentation and a structured interview. Although this qualification passport itself does not constitute a formal recognition act, it helps to assess the qualifications a refugee is likely to have, and it may also be applied to people enjoying temporary protection. Other tools such as the qualifications passport developed by UNESCO (25) and similar systems developed under the Erasmus+ Programme (for example the REACT – Refugees and Recognition toolkit) (26) could also be explored.

         SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN PROFESSIONS

                  16.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to explore how people enjoying temporary protection can, where appropriate, be employed in healthcare services, including by:

                              —

                              identifying good practices where non-EU nationals can participate in fast-track programmes within the area of healthcare professions to facilitate the exercise of those professions;

                              —

                              assessing the feasibility of extraterritorial healthcare facilities where healthcare staff enjoying temporary protection can treat people displaced from Ukraine (e.g. Ukrainian field hospitals operated on a Member State’s soil);

                              —

                              assessing Ukrainian training curricula for medical professions and, where feasible, developing short-duration up-skilling programmes to meet the minimum training standards required for certain professions.

                  17.

                  For professionals with qualifications not meeting the minimum training requirements set out in Directive 2005/36/EC, the Commission encourages Member States to apply the same approach as in the guidance note for the COVID-19 crisis for the recognition of health professionals with qualifications from outside the EU/EFTA. Member States may still allow people enjoying temporary protection to perform certain activities, with a different status than that of a full member of the profession. For example, a third-country qualified nurse whose training does not meet the minimum training requirements may be allowed to work as a health care assistant.

                  18.

                  The Commission invites Member States to explore different ways to ensure that access to the relevant sector of activity is ensured promptly for teachers and other education professionals, e.g. by:

                              —

                              employing people enjoying temporary protection who have acquired the professional qualification of teacher in Ukraine in schools where children fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been placed;

                              —

                              providing language training to teaching professionals;

                              —

                              allocating Ukrainian-speaking teachers to schools with additional capacity and shortage of teachers;

                              —

                              changing the contracts of teachers with a professional qualification acquired in Ukraine, who have been temporarily hired as assistant teachers in host countries, to qualified teacher contracts quickly after the professional qualification has been recognised;

                              —

                              supporting student teachers enjoying temporary protection to access host countries’ teacher education and training.

                  19.

                  The Commission invites Member States to facilitate the recruitment of educational staff enjoying temporary protection to work in structures which provide formal early childhood education and care, such as crèches and kindergartens, and in informal structures, such as play hubs, taking into account the wide diversity of these professions across Europe.

                  20.

                  The Commission stresses that measures for facilitating the recruitment of educational and teaching professionals enjoying temporary protection shall take into account national provisions for the protection of children and youth.

         FACILITATING THE EXERCISE OF REGULATED PROFESSIONS

                  21.

                  The Commission encourages Member States to ensure that professionals can exercise their profession in order to access the labour market after obtaining recognition of their professional qualifications, without unnecessary administrative barriers and with the support they need.

                  22.

                  The Commission recommends that Member States do not introduce or maintain any requirement for companies to prove that they could not hire an EU citizen before recruiting a person enjoying temporary protection.

                  23.

                  The Commission recommends that Member States ensure that all relevant professional skills and competences of people enjoying temporary protection are assessed and taken into account, regardless of whether they have been acquired through formal, informal or non-formal learning. The Commission encourages Member States to support people in recording their skills and qualifications, including by the provision of one-to-one support. To facilitate such collection and assessment of skills and competences Europass (27) and the EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals (28) can be used.

                  24.

                  The Commission recommends that Member States put in place measures to facilitate the exercise of professions for people enjoying temporary protection who have no knowledge or limited knowledge of the language of the host country, such as language courses, or arrangements to practice their profession under supervision or in a setting where the language of the host country is not needed.

         FOLLOW UP OF PROPOSED MEASURES

                  25.

                  The Commission invites Member States to cooperate closely with Ukrainian authorities, representatives of Ukrainian civil society, including the Ukrainian diaspora, and the Commission to support practical solutions for recognition of qualifications and the smooth integration of people enjoying temporary protection into the labour market.

                  26.

                  The Commission will initiate and coordinate dedicated meetings within the group of coordinators for the recognition of professional qualifications. This group will meet regularly to discuss and exchange national practices on this topic. The Commission will invite representatives of the relevant Ukrainian authorities to these meetings. Discussion and peer learning will also be initiated in other relevant structures, like in the European Education Area framework Working Groups and the Network of Academic Recognition Information Centres (ENIC-NARIC).

                  27.

                  The Commission asks Member States to share their expertise in the dedicated ad hoc meetings, with a view to speeding up the process and avoiding duplications. Cooperation, best practices, and extensive information sharing is crucial at this stage.

         Done at Brussels, 5 April 2022.

               For the Commission

            Thierry BRETON

               Member of the Commission

         (1)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, European solidarity with refugees and those fleeing war in Ukraine, COM(2022) 107 final.

         (2)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Welcoming those fleeing war in Ukraine: Readying Europe to meet the needs, COM(2022) 131 final.

         (3)  Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection (OJ L 71, 4.3.2022, p. 1).

         (4)  Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof (OJ L 212, 7.8.2001, p. 12).

         (5)  OECD (2019), Ready to Help?: Improving Resilience of Integration Systems for Refugees and other Vulnerable Migrants, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264311312-en.

         (6)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Action plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027, COM(2020) 758 final.

         (7)  According to Article 3.1 (a) of Directive 2005/36/EC a ‘regulated profession’ is: a professional activity or group of professional activities, access to which, the pursuit of which, or one of the modes of pursuit of which is subject, directly or indirectly, by virtue of legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions to the possession of specific professional qualifications; in particular, the use of a professional title limited by legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions to holders of a given professional qualification shall constitute a mode of pursuit.

         (8)  https://www.enic-naric.net/non-regulated-professions.aspx

         (9)  Shortages have been reported e.g. for plumbers, nursing professionals, welders, civil engineers, general medical practitioners, bricklayers, electricians, accountants and roofers. See European Labour Authority (2021), Report on Labour Shortages and Surpluses, November 2021, https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2021-12/2021%20Labour%20shortages%20%20surpluses%20report.pdf

         (10)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/stronger-europe-world/eu-solidarity-ukraine_en

         (11)  Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications (OJ L 255, 30.9.2005, p. 22).

         (12)  https://www.coe.int/en/web/higher-education-and-research/lisbon-recognition-convention

         (13)  https://rm.coe.int/recommendation-on-recognition-of-qualifications-held-by-refugees-displ/16807688a8

         (14)  https://www.etf.europa.eu/en/education-and-work-information-ukrainians-and-eu-countries/education-and-work-eu-support-ukraine

         (15)  https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/professional-qualifications/index_en.htm

         (16)  https://www.enic-naric.net/ukraine.aspx?srcval=ukraine

         (17)  Communication from the Commission, Guidance on free movement of health professionals and minimum harmonisation of training in relation to COVID-19 emergency measures – recommendations regarding Directive 2005/36/EC (OJ C 156, 8.5.2020, p. 1).

         (18)  UNHCR (2011), Refugee Education: A Global Review, https://www.unhcr.org/4fe317589.pdf

         (19)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Lives in Dignity: from Aid-dependence to Self-reliance – Forced Displacement and Development, COM(2016) 234 final.

         (20)  Commission Decision of 19 March 2007 setting up the group of coordinators for the recognition of professional qualifications (OJ L 79, 20.3.2007, p. 38).

         (21)  http://www.cimea.it/it/progetti-in-evidenza/fraudoc/fraudoc-project.aspx

         (22)  https://ec.europa.eu/info/resources-partners/machine-translation-public-administrations-etranslation_en

         (23)  https://europa.eu/europass/en/europass-digital-credentials. European Digital Credentials are carrying an electronic seal and thus fall under Article 35 of Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC (OJ L 257, 28.8.2014, p. 73). Thus, they should be accepted as evidence of qualification.

         (24)  https://www.coe.int/en/web/education/recognition-of-refugees-qualifications

         (25)  https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/qualifications-passport

         (26)  https://www.nokut.no/globalassets/nokut/artikkelbibliotek/utenlandsk_utdanning/veiledere/toolkit_for_recognition_of_refugees_qualifications.pdf. See also the REACT project (REACT – Refugees and Recognition | Nokut).

         (27)  https://europa.eu/europass

         (28)  https://ec.europa.eu/migrantskills/


title: Council Recommendation of 5 April 2022 on the economic policy of the euro area 2022/C 153/01

text:
               7.4.2022

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 153/1

      COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION
      of 5 April 2022
      on the economic policy of the euro area
      (2022/C 153/01)
      THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 136 in conjunction with Article 121(2) thereof,
      Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July 1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies (1), and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,
      Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 November 2011 on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances (2), and in particular Article 6(1) thereof,
      Having regard to the recommendation of the European Commission,
      Having regard to the conclusions of the European Council,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Financial Committee,
      Having regard to the opinion of the Economic Policy Committee,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  After a very deep recession in 2020, the euro area economy is experiencing a solid and fast recovery. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of 2021 surpassed expectations and, according to the Commission services’ autumn 2021 economic forecast, the euro area’s GDP is expected to have grown by 5,0 % in 2021. The euro area economy regained its pre-crisis GDP level in the last quarter of 2021. By the second quarter of 2021, seven euro area countries had already regained their pre-crisis GDP levels. Euro area annual GDP is forecast to grow by 4,3 % in 2022, but the recovery is expected to be uneven across countries and sectors. Domestic demand is the main driver of GDP growth, linked to the easing of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic further to the vaccination rollout, gradual improvements in the labour markets, the drawdown of extra savings accrued during the lockdown periods, and strong investment growth benefitting from favourable financing conditions and support from NextGenerationEU, the recovery instrument established by Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094 (3). As recommended, euro area Member States have taken action, individually and collectively within the Eurogroup, to ensure a policy stance that supports the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Going forward, the level of uncertainty remains high, with substantial risks including those related to the evolution of the pandemic, both within and outside the Union, and that level warrants close monitoring.

                  (2)

                  In the course of 2021, strong domestic demand growth has met constraints on the supply side, including input scarcity and logistics disruptions. In addition, labour and skills shortages have become a growing concern in some sectors and some Member States. After several years of very low rates, inflation in the euro area has increased since the beginning of 2021, in particular on the back of base effects, surging energy prices and supply bottlenecks, suggesting a transitory phenomenon linked to the post-lockdown adjustment process. Inflation reached 4,9 % in the euro area in November 2021. According to the Commission services’ autumn 2021 economic forecast, it is projected to decline to 2,2 % in 2022 and to 1,4 % in 2023.

                  (3)

                  In 2021, the European recovery strategy focused on putting NextGenerationEU and its largest instrument - the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), established by Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) - into effect. By mid-November 2021, the Council had adopted the recovery and resilience plans of 22 Member States, including 18 euro area countries, following positive assessments by the Commission. Over the coming years, the effective implementation of reforms and investments under the RRF will have a deep positive impact on the functioning of the economies of the euro area Member States. Effective implementation of the RRF will foster upwards economic and social convergence across euro area Member States, given the key used to allocate its resources. The RRF has also reinforced confidence and contributes to supporting growth and macro-financial stability, thus balancing the policy mix and complementing the actions of the European Central Bank (ECB). Beyond supporting the recovery, the RRF aims to structurally transform the Member States’ economies, in particular as regards achieving the green and digital transitions. The implementation of coherent investments and reforms under the RRF, together with the use of cohesion policy funds, aims to increase the euro area’s resilience to future shocks, raise potential output in a durable manner, support employment and address social challenges. Furthermore, the issuance of euro-denominated debt by the Union to finance the RRF will add depth and liquidity to Europe’s capital markets and contribute to strengthening the euro as an international currency. The issuance of green bonds under NextGenerationEU will further help to promote sustainable investment.

                  (4)

                  The implementation of the reforms and investments included in the recovery and resilience plans will give way to the disbursement of RRF funding and effectively contribute to the achievement of the euro area policy priorities, including those set out in the Council Recommendation of 13 July 2021 on the economic policy of the euro area (5). Such implementation will concern, inter alia, strengthening national institutional frameworks, supporting high-quality public investment, and policy measures to support social cohesion and just green and digital transitions. Such implementation should help ensure a sustainable and inclusive recovery, sustain growth potential and enhance resilience. This is in line with the Commission’s Communication of 24 November 2021 entitled ‘Annual Sustainable Growth Survey 2022’ and the four dimensions of competitive sustainability, namely environmental sustainability, productivity, fairness and macroeconomic stability.

                  (5)

                  Appropriately supportive and mutually reinforcing economic policies have ensured effective macroeconomic stabilisation, and contained the impact on labour market outcomes, mitigating risks of scarring and supporting a rapid economic recovery. A sound mix of monetary and fiscal policies along with structural reforms and financial policies will continue to be essential for the proper functioning of the euro area, in full compliance with the respective roles of the Member States and institutions under the Treaty.

                  (6)

                  The ECB’s monetary policy measures aim to ensure the smooth functioning of different financial market segments and keep the monetary transmission channels intact, and ultimately to safeguard medium-term price stability. In July 2021, the ECB published its new monetary policy strategy, which adopts a symmetric 2 % inflation target over the medium term. The ECB’s Governing Council also confirmed that the setting of ECB interest rates remains its primary monetary policy instrument. In October 2021, the ECB launched a two-year-long investigation phase regarding the possible issuance of a digital euro. The creation of a digital euro would require intervention by the Union legislators, and the Commission intends to make a legislative proposal on the basis of Article 133 of the Treaty. Depending on its design, such a central bank digital currency could, inter alia, offer a supply of public money in digital form, support the digitalisation of the European economy and actively encourage innovation in retail payments. Moreover, it could contribute to strengthening the international role of the euro and the Union’s open strategic autonomy.

                  (7)

                  On 19 October 2021, the Commission adopted a communication entitled ‘The EU economy after COVID-19: implications for economic governance’, re-launching the debate on the economic governance review to build broad-based consensus on how to enhance the economic governance framework, tackle macroeconomic imbalances and address fiscal challenges in a transitional and growth-friendly manner, taking into account the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 crisis.

                  (8)

                  The deficit of the general government in the euro area as a whole was projected to reach 7,1 % of GDP in 2021 but to fall to 3,9 % in 2022. The euro area fiscal stance, according to the Commission services’ autumn 2021 economic forecast, was projected to remain supportive in 2021, with an expansion above 1,75 % of GDP, and in 2022, with an expansion close to 1 % of GDP. In 2022, public investment, both nationally-financed and Union-financed, will contribute to that supportive stance. As of November 2021, the 18 euro area national recovery and resilience plans approved at that time by the Council are to provide large-scale financial support to euro area Member States of up to EUR 262 billion in grants and EUR 139 billion in loans in the period to 2026. Coordination of national fiscal policies, in full respect of the Stability and Growth Pact, is crucial for the effective response to the economic shock caused by the COVID-19 crisis, a sustainable recovery, and the proper functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). While the general escape clause will remain active in 2022, it is expected to be deactivated as of 2023. With the economic recovery taking hold, fiscal policy is pivoting from temporary emergency measures to targeted recovery support measures. The increase in government debt ratios from 85,5 % of GDP in 2019 to 100 % of GDP in 2021 has reflected the combined effects of the contraction in output and the necessary policy reaction to the very large COVID-19 shock. However, as debt ratios were already high in some euro area Member States before that shock, a gradual, continuous and growth-friendly debt reduction will be a policy objective across a large part of the euro area.

                  (9)

                  In this context, improving the composition of public finances, including by promoting investment, improving the quality of budgetary measures and ensuring fiscal sustainability over the medium and long term, including in view of climate change and the green and digital transitions, appear particularly relevant. Green budgeting, spending reviews, well-functioning public investment management schemes, and effective public procurement frameworks can improve the transparency and effectiveness of public finances and create fiscal space for additional public investments. Reforms for more efficient and fairer revenue policy have become even more fundamental in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. There is still scope to make the tax systems in the euro area more growth- and environment-friendly, in particular by addressing distortions and reducing the tax wedge on labour, which remains high in most euro area Member States. Measures addressing aggressive tax planning, tax avoidance and tax evasion can make tax systems more efficient and fairer, while supporting the recovery and increasing revenue. Globalisation has made it necessary to adjust the taxation framework to fit an increasingly digitalised economy. An agreement on reforming global taxation to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy and to limit harmful tax competition has been reached within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.

                  (10)

                  The swift and forceful policy response at national and Union level, including through NextGenerationEU, has been effective in mitigating the impact of the crisis on households and firms. Thanks to that coordinated action, divergences have widened less than initially expected, and long-run scarring effects have been mitigated. Policy support, including through short-time work schemes and other job retention measures, has helped keep businesses in activity throughout the crisis and has limited the rise in the unemployment rate and the drop in disposable income. Although increasing, insolvency rates have remained contained in 2021 despite the gradual lifting of support measures. Labour markets are also showing gradual improvement, with the employment rate at 72,1 % in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the pre-COVID-19 peak of 72.9 % in the fourth quarter of 2019. The accelerated adoption of digital technology throughout the COVID-19 crisis could have a positive impact on productivity if sustained over time. Still, that crisis has had substantial territorial, sectorial and distributional implications, which will require reallocations both within and across countries and sectors, with substantial transition costs for workers and companies.

                  (11)

                  Although the rise in bankruptcies has remained limited so far, the COVID-19 crisis has left many firms with weaker balance sheets, which might constrain their ability to finance investment projects in the near term and compromise their repayment capacity. As the recovery takes hold, support should be gradually phased out and made more targeted. Making less use of debt instruments would limit contingent liabilities and help preserve businesses’ investment capacity. Timely withdrawal of policy support measures is a balancing act involving supporting investment and employment and avoiding failures of viable businesses, without inhibiting the orderly exit of unviable businesses over the medium-term. In this context, improving access to finance for companies, strengthening firms’ balance sheets and enhancing the capacity and efficiency of insolvency frameworks is crucial. National insolvency regimes differ substantially across the euro area, and capacity-enhancing actions will be needed to facilitate an effective administration and judicial system. Improving insolvency frameworks can also contribute to sounder balance sheets in the banking sector, with a positive impact on credit supply. Directive (EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) on restructuring and insolvency, which seeks to introduce minimum standards across Member States on preventive restructuring and debt discharge for entrepreneurs, is to be transposed into national law by 17 July 2022. Moreover, the integration of the Union’s capital markets is key to providing companies with alternative sources of funding to complement bank lending. Progress in the Capital Markets Union can improve access to finance for euro area businesses, mobilise long-term investments in new and in green technologies and infrastructure, promote equity investment and remove cross-border barriers to investment, including by harmonising certain aspects of substantive law on insolvency proceedings.

                  (12)

                  While employment is recovering rapidly, some sectors, specific categories of workers and regions are set to be impacted in the long-term by the COVID-19 crisis and by the strong push for greening the economy and accelerating digitalisation. Young people have been particularly affected, as well as low-skilled people and people with a migrant background. The new jobs being created could be different from those jobs lost due to that crisis. Some groups, including women, still experience structural challenges in labour market integration. Supply chain bottlenecks and surging energy prices may slow down the rebound of employment in certain sectors. Policy measures that facilitate job transitions and labour market re-integration will therefore be key to supporting adjustment and mitigating the social impact, in particular in light of the green and digital transitions. The Commission put forward Recommendation (EU) 2021/402 (7) on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis, inviting Member States to develop coherent policy packages combining measures that aim to bridge skill shortages and help individuals to successfully navigate the green and digital transitions. Such packages would consist of three components: (i) time-limited and well-designed hiring and transition incentives and support to entrepreneurship; (ii) upskilling and reskilling opportunities linked to labour market needs; and (iii) enhanced support by employment services. Meanwhile, for the cohesiveness of the euro area, social protection remains fundamental in the wake of the health and economic crises to ensuring fair green and digital transitions. The European Pillar of Social Rights remains the compass for employment, skills and social policy action, fostering upward economic and social convergence and better working and living conditions in the Member States. The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, adopted in March 2021, sets three Union headline targets on (i) employment, (ii) adult learning and (iii) poverty reduction by 2030, to which relevant policy actions will contribute. Those targets were welcomed by Union leaders at the 8 May 2021 Porto Social Summit and in the European Council on 24–25 June 2021.

                  (13)

                  Member States have designed ambitious reform and investment plans, with the financial and policy support of the RRF, and their implementation is key. Increasing the quality of institutions, in particular by strengthening administrative capacity, will be key to ensuring a swift absorption of the related funds while avoiding duplication of and interference with other Union instruments. Member States can improve the framework conditions for private investment by improving the business environment. Preserving and strengthening supply chain resilience in the single market by detecting and addressing supply shortages and bottlenecks, in addition to open markets, convergence in standards, and greater diversification, circularity and resource efficiency, will be key to ensuring the smooth functioning of the single market. The Council Recommendation of 13 July 2021 on the economic policy of the euro area, which calls for further integration of the single market for goods and services, including the digital single market, by removing unnecessary restrictions, enhancing market surveillance and guaranteeing sufficient administrative capacity, remains relevant.

                  (14)

                  As a result of previous reforms, the banking sector has shown overall resilience when faced with severe economic stress. The extensive policy support in the trough of the crisis and the solid recovery recorded in 2021 have so far attenuated concerns about weaker corporate balance sheets. However, it is possible that euro area banks will experience some deterioration in asset quality. Timely monitoring of risks, proactive engagement with debtors and active management of non-performing loans, together with strengthened profitability and a robust regulatory framework, are important to maintain the stability of the banking sector and its ability to finance the economic recovery.

                  (15)

                  The economic size and integration of the euro area, as well as the actions put in place to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, have been stabilising factors globally throughout that crisis. Given the interconnectedness of the economies, in the coming years euro area Member States will need to deliver the investments and reforms agreed to emerge stronger from the crisis, while further deepening the EMU to increase its resilience to future shocks and its ability to stand stronger on the international scene. Developments in advanced and emerging market economies have direct repercussions on the euro area through a number of channels, including as regards health and vaccination policy, monetary policy trajectories, financial flows, global value chains and trade. The constraints in global supply chains that arose in the wake of the recovery further testify to the growing global economic interconnectedness. Meanwhile, the euro area current account surplus has continued its gradual decline and reached, in 2020, a level close to that suggested by fundamentals. However, it is forecast to rise from 2,6 % to 3,4 % between 2020 and 2023. Strengthening the international role of the euro, which remained broadly stable in recent years, including through developing a digital euro, could enhance the economic and financial autonomy of the euro area and the Union, and improve global financial stability.

                  (16)

                  The deepening of the EMU remains essential. The Banking Union and the Capital Markets Union are mutually reinforcing projects to promote growth, safeguard financial stability and support a genuine EMU. Filling the remaining gaps would further increase the euro area’s stability and resilience, help the euro area economies thrive, and strengthen the international role of the euro. Completing the Banking Union - together with the timely ratification of the amending agreements to the Treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism (8) and to the Agreement on the Transfer and Mutualisation of Contributions to the Single Resolution Fund, done at Brussels on 21 May 2014 - and the Capital Markets Union remains essential. That completion will also support the green and digital transitions, which require important investments. The Euro Summit of 25 June 2021 reiterated the commitment to the completion of the Banking Union and invited the Eurogroup in inclusive format to agree, without delay and on a consensual basis, on a stepwise and time-bound work plan on all outstanding elements. It also called for rapid implementation of the Capital Markets Union 2020 Action Plan, set out in the Commission’s Communication of 24 September 2020 entitled ‘A Capital Markets Union for people and businesses-new action plan’, in line with the priorities set out in the Council Conclusions of 3 December 2020 on that Action Plan. The Council Recommendation of 13 July 2021 on the economic policy of the euro area, which calls for completing the EMU and strengthening the international role of the euro, remains relevant,

            HEREBY RECOMMENDS that euro area Member States take action, individually, including through the implementation of their recovery and resilience plans, and collectively within the Eurogroup, in the period 2022–2023 to:

                  (1)

                  continue to use and coordinate national fiscal policies across Member States to effectively underpin a sustainable and inclusive recovery. Maintain a moderately supportive fiscal stance in 2022 across the euro area, taking into account national budgets and the funding provided by the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Gradually pivot fiscal measures towards investments that promote a sustainable and inclusive recovery, consistent with the green and digital transitions, paying particular attention to the quality of budgetary measures. Reflecting the degree of uncertainty, keep fiscal policy agile in order to be able to react to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. Differentiate fiscal policies taking into account the strength of the recovery, ensuring fiscal sustainability and enhancing investments, while bearing in mind the need to reduce divergences.

                  (2)

                  promote policies that tackle aggressive tax planning, tax evasion and tax avoidance to ensure fair and efficient tax systems. Work to limit harmful tax competition including through the implementation of the global consensus-based solution to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalisation and globalisation of the economy. Lower the tax wedge on labour and promote a shift from labour taxation towards taxes that are less distortive. Transition from emergency to recovery measures in labour markets by ensuring effective active labour market policies: (i) supporting job transitions, in particular towards a green and digital economy; (ii) combining measures tackling skills shortages, strengthening upskilling and re-skilling, providing targeted hiring incentives; and (iii) enhancing the capacity of public employment services to address labour market mismatches. Strengthen inclusive quality education and training systems. Promote labour market integration of young people, women, and vulnerable groups, ensure adequate working conditions and address labour market segmentation, develop and adapt where needed social protection systems and strengthen access in order to address challenges emerging from the COVID-19 crisis and those related to the green and digital transitions. Ensure the effective involvement of social partners in policy making, strengthen social dialogue and promote collective bargaining. Ensure sharing of, and convergence towards, good practices in labour market and social policies that increase economic and social resilience.

                  (3)

                  monitor the effectiveness of policy support packages for companies, focus on a more targeted support for the solvency of viable firms that have come under stress during the COVID-19 crisis, and make greater use of equity-type instruments. Increase the capacity of insolvency frameworks to deal effectively and in a timely manner with bankruptcy and debt restructuring, maximise the preservation of value and promote an efficient allocation of capital in the real economy and cross-border investments. Make swift progress in deepening the Capital Markets Union, on which the Commission has made legislative proposals with a focus on supporting the financing of the economy, enhance investment opportunities for firms and individuals, and remove unwarranted cross-border barriers to investments in the single market.

                  (4)

                  continue to strengthen national institutional frameworks and pursue reforms to address bottlenecks to investment and reallocation of capital, and ensure the efficient and timely use of Union funds. Reduce the administrative burden for firms and improve the business environment. Strengthen the effectiveness and digitalisation of public administration. Improve public financial management, including through green budgeting and by improving the effectiveness of public investment management frameworks, and make use of spending reviews to improve the composition and quality of public finances, in particular quality of public investments and investment in people and skills, and to better focus public expenditure on recovery and resilience needs.

                  (5)

                  ensure macro-financial stability, and maintain the credit channels to the economy, continuing to address non-performing loans through, amongst others, monitoring asset quality, timely and pro-active engagement with distressed debtors, in particular viable ones, and the further development of secondary markets for non-performing loans. Continue to work on completing the Banking Union, by means of a step-wise and time-bound work plan on all outstanding elements needed and with the same level of ambition, and on strengthening the international role of the euro. Continue to support exploratory work on the possible introduction of a digital euro.

            Further steps in deepening the EMU should take into account the lessons learnt from the Union’s comprehensive economic policy response to the COVID-19 crisis. Progress in deepening the EMU should be pursued in full respect of the Union’s internal market and in an open and transparent manner towards non-euro area Member States.

         Done at Luxembourg, 5 April 2022.

               For the Council

               The President

            B. LE MAIRE

         (1)  OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1.

         (2)  OJ L 306, 23.11.2011, p. 25.

         (3)  Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094 of 14 December 2020 establishing a European Union Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis (OJ L I 433, 22.12.2020, p. 23).

         (4)  Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17).

         (5)  OJ C 283, 15.7.2021, p. 1.

         (6)  Directive (EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132 (Directive on restructuring and insolvency) (OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, p.18).

         (7)  Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/402 of 4 March 2021 on an effective active support to employment following the COVID-19 crisis (EASE) (OJ L 80, 8.03.2021, p. 1).

         (8)  Treaty Establishing the European Stability Mechanism between the Kingdom of Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, Ireland, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Malta, the Kingdom of The Netherlands, the Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Finland, signed at Brussels on 2 of February 2012.


title: Recommendation of the European Central Bank of 29 March 2022 to the Council of the European Union on the external auditors of Lietuvos bankas (ECB/2022/15) 2022/C 153/02

text:
               7.4.2022

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               C 153/7

      RECOMMENDATION OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
      of 29 March 2022
      to the Council of the European Union on the external auditors of Lietuvos bankas
      (ECB/2022/15)
      (2022/C 153/02)
      THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
      Having regard to the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank, and in particular Article 27.1 thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  The accounts of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks of the Member States whose currency is the euro are audited by independent external auditors recommended by the ECB’s Governing Council and approved by the Council of the European Union.

                  (2)

                  The mandate of Lietuvos bankas’ current external auditors, Ernst & Young Baltic UAB, ended following the audit for the financial year 2021. It is therefore necessary to appoint external auditors from the financial year 2022.

                  (3)

                  Lietuvos bankas has selected UAB ROSK Consulting as its external auditors for the financial years 2022 to 2024,

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:
      It is recommended that UAB ROSK Consulting should be appointed as the external auditors of Lietuvos bankas for the financial years 2022 to 2024.

         Done at Frankfurt am Main, 29 March 2022.

               The President of the ECB

            Christine LAGARDE


title: Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/561 of 6 April 2022 on monitoring the presence of glycoalkaloids in potatoes and potato-derived products

text:
               7.4.2022

               EN

               Official Journal of the European Union

               L 108/66

      COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2022/561
      of 6 April 2022
      on monitoring the presence of glycoalkaloids in potatoes and potato-derived products
      THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
      Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 292 thereof,
      Whereas:

                  (1)

                  The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) adopted a risk assessment in 2020 on glycoalkaloids in feed and food, in particular in potatoes and potato-derived products (1).

                  (2)

                  In humans, acute toxic effects of potato glycoalkaloids (α-solanine and α-chaconine) include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. For these effects, the CONTAM Panel identified a lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) of 1 mg total potato glycoalkaloids/kg body weight (bw) per day as a reference point for the risk characterisation following acute exposure. A margin of exposure (MOE) higher than 10 indicates that there is no health concern. This MOE of 10 takes into account the extrapolation from a LOAEL to a no-observed-adverse-effect (NOAEL) (a factor of 3) and the interindividual variability in toxicodynamics (a factor of 3,2). Given that acute exposure estimates in certain exposure scenarios resulted in a MOE lower than 10, this indicates a health concern.

                  (3)

                  The CONTAM Panel recommended that more occurrence data should be gathered on glycoalkaloids and their aglycones in the potato varieties available on the market, in new potato varieties resulting from breeding experiments and in processed potato products, including foods for infants.

                  (4)

                  Good agricultural practices, good storage and transport conditions and good manufacturing practices can reduce the presence of glycoalkaloids in potatoes and processed potato products. More information must however be gathered on the factors that lead to relatively high levels of glycoalkaloids in potatoes and processed potato products in order to be able to identify the measures to be taken to avoid or reduce the presence of glycoalkaloids in these foodstuffs. It is appropriate, if possible, to analyse in particular in processed potato products also the degradation products β- and γ- solanine and chaconine and the aglycon solanidine, given that these compounds have the same toxicity as α-solanine and α-chaconine.

                  (5)

                  The results of the monitoring of glycoalkaloids must be reliable and comparable. It is therefore appropriate to provide instructions on their extraction as well as requirements for their analysis. As the presence of glycoalkaloids is higher in unpeeled potatoes than in peeled potatoes, and higher in small potatoes than in larger potatoes, it is important to provide information on these factors when reporting occurrence data.

                  (6)

                  To advise on when it would be appropriate to identify the factors leading to relatively high levels of glycoalkaloids, it is appropriate to establish an indicative value for potatoes. It is also appropriate to obtain more information on the effects of processing on the level of glycoalkaloids.

                  (7)

                  It is therefore appropriate to recommend the monitoring of glycoalkaloids in potato and potato products and the identification of the factors resulting in their high levels, and to gather more information on the effects of processing on the level of glycoalkaloids,

            HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

                  (1)

                  Member States with the active involvement of food business operators should monitor glycoalkaloids α-solanine and α-chaconine in potatoes and potato products. If possible, the degradation products β- and γ- solanine and chaconine and the aglycon solanidine should also be analysed, in particular in processed potato products.

                  (2)

                  To prevent enzymatic degradation of α-chaconine in particular when analysing raw potatoes (unpeeled/peeled), a solution of 1 % formic acid in methanol should be added to the potatoes in a ratio of 1:2 (volume:weight) when they are blended and homogenized before extraction and clean-up. The recommended methods of analysis are liquid chromatography with ultraviolet photodiode-array detection (LC-UV-DAD) or liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Other methods of analysis can be applied provided that evidence is available showing that they generate reliable results for individual glycoalkaloids. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the determination of each glycoalkaloid should preferably be around 1 mg/kg and not be higher than 5 mg/kg.

                  (3)

                  Member States, with the active involvement of food business operators, should carry out investigations to identify the factors leading to levels above the indicative level of 100 mg/kg as sum of α-solanine and α-chaconine in potatoes and processed potato products.

                  (4)

                  Member States and food business operators should provide to EFSA, by 30 June of each year, the data for the previous year for compilation into one database in line with the requirements of EFSA’s Guidance on Standard Sample Description (SSD) for Food and Feed and EFSA’s additional specific reporting requirements (2). It is important to report for potatoes and processed potato products the variety and the size of potatoes (average weight of the potatoes, in particular for unpeeled potatoes), early potatoes or storage potatoes (i.e. mature and/or stored over a longer period of time), the place of sampling (producer, wholesale, retail) and if the potatoes were peeled or not (3).

         Done at Brussels, 6 April 2022.

               For the Commission

            Stella KYRIAKIDES

               Member of the Commission

         (1)  EFSA CONTAM Panel (EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain), 2020. Scientific Opinion – Risk assessment of glycoalkaloids in feed and food, in particular in potatoes and potato-derived products. EFSA Journal 2020;18(8):6222, 190 pp. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6222.

         (2)  https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/call/call-continuous-collection-chemical-contaminants-occurrence-data-0

         (3)  Tests on the effect of peeling on the content of glycoalkaloids should be performed with a (potato) peeler.