WONCA Europe is proud to announce the adoption of its Statement on the Recognition of the Specialty of Family Medicine / General Practice in the European Region, officially approved by the WONCA Europe Executive Board on 20 September 2025 during the WONCA World Conference in Lisbon.
Representing 47 member organisations and over 90,000 family doctors across Europe, WONCA Europe advocates for the highest standards of care in General Practice/Family Medicine — care that is both salutogenic and sustainable, balancing biomedical expertise with a deep humanistic approach and a strong commitment to health equity.
The statement calls for the inclusion of Family Medicine / General Practice in the EU Directive 2005/36/EC (Annex 1.1.3) on the recognition of professional qualifications, alongside other medical specialties. Such recognition acknowledges that family doctors complete structured postgraduate training and obtain specialist knowledge to provide high-quality, person-centred, and community-oriented care.
This position is fully aligned with the Murcia Declaration on the Future of General Practice and Family Medicine in European Healthcare, underlining the crucial role of Family Medicine in ensuring accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare systems throughout Europe.
👉 You can read the full statement here