1. EU-PHARE TWINNING PROJECT INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR FROM MUTUAL RECOGNITION TO MUTUAL COMMUNICATION? 22-23 September 2004 WarsawPresentation of the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber Dr Jerzy Lazowski

2. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Charging the Chamber with tasks of Competent Authority responsible for all activities referring to automatic recognition of professional qualifications of pharmacists needed an amendment of existing Law on Pharmaceutical Chambers. The amendment has been adopted by Polish Parliament in April 2004 and has been in force since 1 May 2004.

3. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Pharmacist who is citizen of the Member State of EU or EEU to get the Right to Perform Profession of Pharmacist in Poland should fill an application form and send it to Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber with following documents: 1. Copy of passport or other personal identification document. 2. Diploma or certified copy of diploma of pharmacist and certificate of Competent Authority which confirms that qualifications of the applicant are listed in Article 4 of Directive85/433/EEC and complies with the minimal requirements of the Training Directive 85/432/EEC.

4. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER 3. A copy of the Right to Perform Profession of Pharmacist issued by Competent Authority of the applicant Member State, if such document is in force in this State. 4. Certificate of good professional conduct. 5. Health declaration stating lack of contraindications to pursue professional responsibility as an pharmacist. 6. Applicant’s declaration that she/he has full ability to perform legal activities 7. Applicant’s declaration about knowledge of Polish language necessary to perform profession of pharmacist. 8. Copies of documents confirming scientific degrees and specializations (if applies, voluntarily)

5. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER An applicant should provide certified translations of any document not in Polish language and notary should authenticate all copies of documents. An address of The Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber is as follows: NACZELNA RADA APTEKARSKA ul. Długa 16 00-238 WARSZAWA Phone/fax 48 22 635 06 70

6. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Automatic recognition of qualifications will be decided immediately, but not later than 3 months from the date of delivery an application form and all necessary documents.

7. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER In a case of positive decision The Right to Perform Profession of Pharmacist will be issued by the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber and pharmacist who has been awarded with it will be enrolled to the Register of Pharmacists and to the list of members of regional pharmaceutical chamber she/he has indicated within 7 days after receiving all necessary documents form the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber.

8. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER In a case of any doubts concerning authenticity of diploma or other documents and the need of additional information procedure may be prolonged, but no longer as 3 months from the date of receiving an answer from Competent Authority of applicant’s Member State.

9. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Detailed information about procedure of automatic recognition qualifications of pharmacists and application forms are available on the web side of Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber: www.nia.org.pl

10. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER In Poland up to the year 2003 diplomas of pharmacists has been awarded after 5 years of university studies. Only after acquiring diploma was a graduate permitted to undertake a period of one year practical in-service training in community or hospital pharmacy and after completing it she/he was granted with a document The Right to perform Profession of Pharmacist. The document entitled the holder to work in any area of pharmacy practice in Poland.

11. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER In spite that formal qualifications of Polish pharmacists were indeed higher than minimal requirements of the Training Directive, which requires only six months of in-service training, they can not be treated as compliant with it. In this case recognition of qualifications of Polish pharmacists would only be possible on the basis of „acquired rights”.

12. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER To solve the problem pharmaceutical studies in Poland has been prolonged with the date of accession, i.e. 1 May 2004 for six month of in-service training and all diplomas granted after that date will qualify to unconditional automatic recognition of qualifications.

13. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER There is a group of pharmacists, who do not benefit of acquired rights and prolonged studies. These are graduates, who has got their diplomas in years 2000-2003 and who do not qualify to automatic recognition as they were not able to satisfy condition of three years of practice of five to get acquired rights and in spite that they completed one year of in-service training, their qualifications can not be recognized automatically as they do not satisfy provisions of the Article 2 of the Training Directive 85/432/EEC.

14. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Majority of Polish pharmacists seek recognition their qualifications in Great Britain. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain being Competent Authority in Great Britain is ready to recognize qualifications of this group of pharmacists if Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber will confirm that:

15. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER 1. The Right to Perform Profession of Pharmacist does attest to training that complies with the minimum training requirements as it can only be acquired after completing a period of university training lasting 5 years followed by 12 months in-service training, and 2. Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber regards Right to Perform Profession of Pharmacist as being equivalent to the title listed in the Annex to Directive 85/433/EEC i.e. „Dyplom ukończenia studiów wyższych na kierunku farmacja z tytułem magistra” awarded after 1 May 2004.

16. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER It is a very important advantage, when there is one Competent Authority in a country and when it is a professional organization (Austria, Great Britain and Ireland) as it is much easier to communicate directly and clear all problems in a telephone call or by e-mail. Such contacts are impossible when there like several Competent Authorities like it is a case in Germany

17. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Problem of the language of certificates: Law on Polish language requires that all certificates should be issued in Polish, but some Competent Authorities demand that it should be English. Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland demand for instance filling a specially designed questionnaire in English, English is also a language preferred by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

18. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Up to 15 September Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber has not got any application to recognize qualifications of pharmacist from EU and EEA Member States.

19. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER Till 1 September 2004 Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber has got from Polish pharmacists seeking recognition qualifications in EU Member States 44 requests for certificates confirming conformity their qualification with the Directives. The Chamber has issued 28 certificates of which 20 regarded acquiered rights. In 7 cases issuing certificates was suspended because lacks in documentation. 9 persons withdraw their requests after getting an information that their qualifications do not comply with the provisions of Directives 85/432/EEC and 85/433/EEC.

20. POLISH PHARMACEUTICAL CHAMBER On behalf of the Polish Pharmaceutical Chamber and in the name of its President I would like to thank very much to Mr. Tjadens, Mr. van Ormond and his assistant Mrs. Biegaj, all short term experts we have met during seminars and study visit in Hague, as well as a team of the Department of Science of Polish Ministry of Health under the leadership of Mr. Danielewicz for their help, advising in working-up procedures and patience in clarification all problems concerning recognition qualifications of pharmacists.