1. What is the goal of this initiative?
The initiative seeks to achieve two main objectives:
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Official recognition of Family Medicine as a specialty at the European level.
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Development of a common European curriculum to ensure core competencies across all countries and establish a standardized exam recognized by the The European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), similar to other medical specialties.
2. Who is leading this work?
The initiative was launched by European Academy of Teachers in General Practice / Family Medicine (EURACT) in January 2025. Leadership is provided by Alex Harding, Nele Michels, Aaron Poppleton, Fabian Dupont and Joachim Frølund (curriculum) and Tiago Villanueva and Sara Ares (specialty recognition). The forum also includes the European Forum of Primary Care (EFPC), European Union of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (UEMO), and the WONCA Europe Working Party on Policy Advocacy (WEWPPA), with regular updates shared with the WONCA Europe Executive Board.
3. Why is specialty recognition so important?
Recognition of Family Medicine is essential to safeguard patient safety and health outcomes, which can be compromised when care is delivered by non-specialists. It will also ensure consistency of training, strengthen professional identity, and help secure the future sustainability of high-quality primary care services to people across Europe.
4. What progress has been made with the European Commission?
Engagement with several Directorates-General has taken place. DG SANTE has been supportive of recognition and they agree about the patient safety concerns to be treated by a doctor without the proper specialty. DG EMPL who currently is opposed as they are not healthcare professionals so they don’t see the need to change anything at this stage.
5. How is the European Parliament involved?
The Parliament is drafting a report on the EU health workforce crisis. They indicate they care about what is happening in primary care but they are not sure how to implement changes as many of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are not familiar with the situation of primary care. To ensure Family Medicine is represented at European Parliament, we have:
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Distributed an information leaflet and policy proposals.
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Applied to speak at hearings (though not selected this time).
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Submitted evidence on the health and work of female family doctors as a request from one of the MEP
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Held more than 15 interactions with MEPs and assistants so far, with more planned.
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The next step is to monitor the amendment phase of the report in October 2025.
6. What is the role of the European Commission and the European Parliament in this process?
The responsibility to amend the legislation currently lies with the European Commission. However, the European Parliament can formally ask the Commission about the situation and the Commission is obliged to respond. In addition, EU Member States, through an internal mechanism, can request that the Commission review the case so that the speciality may be recognized. Therefore, it is essential to ensure visibility and advocacy both in the European Commission and in the European Parliament to advance this process.
7. What are the main challenges?
The primary challenge is the view from the European Commission (DG EMPL), which considers specialty recognition from an employment perspective rather than a health one.
8. How can family doctors contribute?
We need at least 11 countries—and ideally 20-24—to act through their Ministries of Health, or through the institutions responsible for recognizing family medicine qualifications, to formally request that the European Commission recognize Family Medicine as a specialty. Other specialties, such as Medical Genetics and Sports Medicine, have already achieved this recognition.
That is why, at the upcoming WONCA Europe Council Meeting 2025 prior to the WONCA World Conference 25 in Lisbon, we would like all member organizations to commit to taking these steps. Together, we can ensure that Family Medicine receives the place it deserves—because it reflects the reality in most European countries, and because having a family doctor increases survival rates and improves health outcomes across the population. Importantly, these benefits have only been demonstrated when care is delivered by fully trained family physicians.
9.Why is funding important for the work of the WP for Policy Advocacy?
Recognition of family medicine as a specialty across all EU countries strengthens training standards, improves retention, and raises the profile of general practice. This is critical not just for individual countries, but for European primary care as a whole—ensuring equitable, community-based health systems.
Funding is needed because influencing policy requires presence where decisions are made. Brussels hosts EU institutions, networks, and stakeholders. In-person advocacy builds relationships, credibility, and trust that cannot be achieved through remote meetings alone. It ensures family medicine’s voice is heard in discussions on health workforce policy, funding priorities, and specialty recognition.
Investing in policy advocacy supports long-term sustainability of primary care and strengthens the role of family doctors as the backbone of European health systems.