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NMS issues guidance on recognition of professional qualifications for excavation licence applicants
Date Released: Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Guidance on EU law on Recognition of Professional Qualifications relative to Ireland’s Archaeological Excavation Competency Interview system
The National Monuments Service (NMS) has issued guidance on the EU law on Recognition of Professional Qualifications as it relates to the Archaeological Excavation Competency Interview system administered by NMS.
The longstanding Excavation Competency Interview system aims to ensure that first time excavation licence applicants attend interview in advance of actually submitting an excavation licence application. The EU Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications (as introduced originally in 2005 and revised in 2013) aims to facilitate the free movement of professionals within the European Union and European Economic Area. In line with this aim, the Directive restricts the extent to which EU and EEA Member States can impose prior qualification checks on professionals coming into their jurisdiction from other Members States to provide professional services on a temporary or occasional basis. This has led to Ireland’s archaeological excavation competency interview system being in-applicable, in certain circumstances, to Archaeologists based in other EU or EEA Member States who wish to carry out archaeological excavation in Ireland.
The law in this field is highly technical and specific matters are addressed in the NMS guidance document which aims to improve understanding. In addition to the guidance being made available on the NMS website, a Declaration Form has been issued for use by Archaeologists coming into the State to provide archaeological excavation services and who wish to claim an exemption from the excavation interview system. This is based on the provisions of the Directive as now set out in Irish law in national implementing regulations.
Information note on recognition of professional qualifications for excavation licence applicants
Procedures for recognition of professional qualifications for excavation licence applicants