1. Impact of Liberal Professions in Germany 5th conference „The Romanian Day of Liberal Professions“ 5. November 2012, Bukarest Rechtsanwältin Nadine Dauer, LL.M. Bundesverband der Freien Berufe 1

2. Outline What are Liberal Professions in Germany? Characteristics of Liberal Professions Impact of Liberal Professions in Germany Potential of Liberal Professions in Europe 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer2

3. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Variety of Liberal Professional groups: Liberal health care professions Liberal legal, economic and tax advising professions Liberal cultural professions Liberal technical and natural scienctific professions 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer3

4. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Economically active in Liberal Professional are: 125.000 in vocational training (apprenticeships) 238.000 co-working family members (excluded of social security contribution) 1.192.000 self-employed 2.784.000 social security contribution obliged employed 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer4

5. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Forms of Liberal Professions: Regulated Liberal Professions The legal regulation of the professional laws apply. Non-regulated Liberal Professions The general law like intelectuell property rights or the regulation about unfair competition apply. 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer5

6. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Forms of Liberal Professions: organised in professional chambers Certain liberal professional groups are obliged to become member in the resepective professional chamber.  Quality assurance  Abidance by the professional obligations Not organised in professional chambers No membership obligation 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer6

7. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Healtcare professions: doctors, dentiste, veterinaries, alternative practicioners, physiotherapistes Legal, tax and economic advising professions: lawyers, patentlawyers, notaries, auditors, tax advisors, Steuerbevollmächtigte, consulting economist and business administrator, certified public accounant Natural scientific and technical professions: land surveyors, engineer, architects Linguistic and information /cultural professions: Jounalists, press photoreporter, interpreter, translator 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer7

8. What are Liberal Professions in Germany ? Structural Challenges in Germany Differentiation Liberal Profession and self-employed Differentiation Liberal Professions and free-lancing Differentiation Liberal Professions and commerce 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer8

9. Characteristics of Liberal Professions Definition of Liberal Professions Legal definition in German Laws and case law BFB-definition of 1995 ECJ- definition in judgement of 2001, case 267/99-Adam 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer9

10. Characteristics of Liberal Professions Liberal Professions… take responsability and serve the common welfare are part of a free democratic society protect trust provide highest quality 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer10

11. Characteristics of Liberal Professions Liberal Professions… are independent provide their services in person are reliable partners are organised in a transparent modern self-government invest in formation 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer11

12. Impact of Liberal Professions in Germany Impacts: assuring a high level of quality of the Liberal Professions’ services. enables and ensures an effective quality assurance. ensures a high quality level of the continued education of liberal professionals as well as the formation and advanced education of the trained employees. The Liberal Professions are the third biggest trainer in Germany. the governmental administration is alleviated from its burdens on all levels 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer12

13. Impact of Liberal Professions in Germany Further pros: For years, the quota of female as self-employed entrepreneurs in Liberal Professions is higher than the average. Professional training courses are also very popular in the environment of Liberal Professions. Each year, more than 40.000 teenagers start their professional path. 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer13

14. Impact of Liberal Professions in Germany Economic impacts: More than one million Liberal Professionals work in Germany as self-employed, tendency rising. They employ about three million people in Germany, tendency rising. Ten percent of the German GDP are generated by Liberal Professionals, tendency rising. 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer14

15. Potentials of Liberal Professions in Europe The Liberal Professions are indispensable to the economic and the society. The Liberal Professions support the citizens in a more and more complex world of life and work; provide as competent partner of the commercial economy the stimulation of innovational and economical dynamic and are indispensable for the European Single Market. Liberal Professions can provide precious contributions for the boost of entrepreneurship and economic growth in Europe: they demonstrate quite impressively that social responsibility and economical dynamic can complement and stimulate one another. 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer15

16. Conclusion The model of Liberal Professions is a way to stimulate further growth and welfare in Europe! 05.11.2012RAin Nadine Dauer16