2006 European Day of Liberal Professions

On 12 June 2006 the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be hosting the European Day of Liberal Professions. This important conference will debate perspectives of the liberal professions concerning European competition law, self-regulation and self-management and the implications for the Services Directive as well as consumer protection. Anne-Marie SIGMUND, EESC President, will be a keynote speaker at the conference.

The 2006 European Day of Liberal Professions will focus its deliberations through four workshops, concerning:

• Tensions between EC Competition Law and regulations governing liberal professions;
• Self-regulation and self-management;
• The Services Directive and the liberal professions;
• Consumer protection and the liberal professions.

Each workshop will be followed by discussion periods, where participants will have the opportunity to intervene and express their views. The findings of the four workshops will be presented in the closing session, followed by a final exchange of opinions between participants.

Key participants of the conference include EESC President Anne-Marie SIGMUND, Mr Adrien BEDOSSA, President of the European Council of Liberal Professions (CEPLIS), Mr Herbert CABANA, President of the Federal Committee of Liberal Professions of Austria (BUKO) as well as Mr Ulrich OESINGMANN, President of the German Federal Association of Liberal Professions (BFB).