asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they were required by European Union law to introduce the Farriers' Qualification (European Recognition) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/646).

These regulations are necessary in order to fully implement directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications. Article 63 of directive 2005/36/EC imposes an obligation on EU member states to bring into force laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the directive.

The purpose of directive 2005/36/EC is to make it easier for qualified professionals to practise their professions in European countries other than their own by simplifying the recognition procedures. It is a consolidation of a number of existing directives relating to the recognition of professional qualifications including directive 1999/42/EC which previously dealt with farriers and gave rise to amendments to the Farriers Registration Act under SI 2002/1597.

The main provisions of the directive were transposed by the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/2781) ("the DIUS regulations") including provisions concerning farriers, and came into force on 19 October 2007. The DIUS regulations set out the formalities to be followed for access to a wide range of professions in the UK on either a temporary or a permanent basis.

The Farriers' Qualification (European Recognition) Regulations 2008 amend the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 to give full effect to the DIUS regulations and to provide for registration of providers of temporary farriery services so that the Farriers Registration Council can regulate them.