Arguments for the standardisation of Naturopathic Professional Practice in the European Union

Before the next elections to the European Parliament, in addition to Municipal and Autonomous, the Naturopathic Collegiate Organization of Spain. as a member of the European Committee of the Naturopathic Profession WNF, has sent to the different political parties that present themselves to the elections, the proposal of directive of regulation of the Naturopathic professional practice in the European Union.

ARGUMENTS FOR THE STANDARDISATION OF NATUROPATHIC PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 

INTRODUCTION

A- EUROPEAN UNION STRATEGY. Training is a strategic objective to enhance the employability of workers, as well as to favour the productivity and competitiveness of companies in the new global scenario. For the European Union, continuous training is considered a fundamental axis in the employment strategy in a knowledge-based economy.

A.1) DIRECTIVE 2005/36/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL OF 7 SEPTEMBER 2005 ON THE RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS.

The Directive lays down rules according to which a Member State which makes access to or exercise of a regulated profession in its territory subject to the possession of certain professional qualifications will recognise, for access to and exercise of that profession, professional qualifications acquired in one or more other Member States and which enable the holder of those qualifications to exercise the same profession there.

In March 2010, the European Commission began work on updating this Directive on the basis of a Green Paper on the subject and at the end of 2011 adopted a Proposal aimed at modernising Directive 2005/36/EC. The proposal aims to facilitate cross-border mobility in order to boost the economic growth and competitiveness of the European Union, which is so necessary in these times of crisis, among other things, by simplifying the rules on the mobility of professionals thanks to a European professional card which would make it easier and quicker to recognise qualifications.

A.2) European Social Charter (revised). Strasbourg, 3.V. 1996.

Article 1 Right to work. In order to guarantee the effective exercise of the right to work, the Parties undertake: (2) to protect effectively the right of the worker to gain his living by work which he freely chooses.

ARGUMENTS
FIRST - NAMING AGREEMENT

The proposed regulation presented by the European Committee of the Naturopathic Profession - WNF of the professional activity of Naturopathy, using the term Naturopathy as a denomination for the practice of Natural Methods and Health Procedures, as an internationally accepted generic denomination (with the different translations in each language, for example HEILPRAKTIKER, in German, NATUROPATH in English, NATUROPATHE, in French, NATUROPATIA, in Italian, ΦΥΣΙΟΠΑΘΗΤΙΚΏΝ, in Greek, NATUROPATSKA, NATUROPATIJE and so on in the various languages of the European Union), is adjusted to law, and would allow, among other things:

SECOND - ELEMENTS OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE NATUROPATHIC PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY AND SAFETY FOR THE USER

Regulate a collective by professionally recognizing the number of diplomas, certificates and other supporting documents under a denomination, as in the case of the German Heilpraktiker, which would also give greater cohesion to the labour market, as it would facilitate hiring, collective agreements, the assignment of social and labour headings..... It would also make it easier for users to identify themselves professionally, as they know who to turn to if they want to solve their health problems by Natural Methods and Health Procedures, with the guarantees that regulation would entail.

THIRD - FREE CIRCULATION

Free movement within the EU countries, with mutual recognition of degrees, diplomas, certificates and accreditations, as well as an extension of the labour market with the consequent insertion into the labour market. We understand that it is better to regulate an existing profession with its tools than to regulate tool by tool. For example, the case of the German Heilpraktiker who usually master and use about 300 tools ("natural therapies"), would be a legislative problem, because of its complexity, if we wanted to regulate therapy by therapy, since in any Naturopathic professional, by training, practice and experience usually dominates an average of 30 - 100 tools ("natural therapies"). Therefore, both free circulation and validation would be favored regulated a profession with an internationally recognized name, such as NATUROPATIA

FOURTH. - FORMATION

With respect to the training centres that currently exist in the European Union, they would also benefit from the consequent stability and creation of new jobs, as the supply would increase and each centre would adapt to the teachings offered within a regulated professional framework with a common name for the practice of Natural Methods and Health Procedures such as the denomination NATUROPATÍA (Spanish term). Also the centers would offer training at different levels (certifications, postgraduate, master, experts, specialists, assistants, assistants, technicians ...), and all students, without distinction of the Natural Method and Health Procedure that has studied, can be incorporated into the labor market, being able to continue expanding knowledge through continued training offered by the training centers of new tools ("natural therapies"), for which the training center will also have to adapt to market demand.

FIFTH - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

On the other hand, it would favour the incorporation into the labour market of the professionals according to their needs.

competencies assigned at each level, while facilitating their capacity for professional advancement and advancement to other categories that will allow greater knowledge and ultimately improve service to the user. These professionals could continue learning, knowing, researching and handling new tools ("natural therapies") within their Naturopathic profession.

SIXTH - DELIMITATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL SPACE

And ultimately, it would avoid conflict with other professions, as it would leave a well-defined area of knowledge and professional qualification. In addition, training would be specific to the Naturopathic sector, thus avoiding scientific and professional pseudo-intrusionism and semantic filibustering, thus solving a historical problem in the European Union.

SEVENTH. - WE ALL WIN.

In short, both professionals, users, administration and the labor market would benefit from both academic and professional regulation of Naturopathy, and its specialties, which we propose from the European Committee of the Naturopathic Profession (WNF).