In the letters of formal notice -- the first phase of an infringement procedure -- the EU executive gives the targeted countries two months to report "their measures to fully transpose into national law Directive (EU) 2024/505 on the recognition of professional qualifications of nurses responsible for general care trained in Romania", the deadline for which was 4 March.

The directive in question facilitates the recognition of Romanian diplomas obtained before the country's accession to the European Union by nurses responsible for general care who have followed a special refresher program.

This program, explains a statement from the community executive, allowed its participants to update their qualifications.

In addition to Portugal, Germany, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic have not communicated to the Commission their measures to fully transpose the new rules into national law.