European Regulation of Professional Education: A study of documents focussing on architects and psychologists in the EU

Issues regarding professions are exceedingly being negotiated and reregulated at the European level by European professional federations and EU public authorities. These new trends raise questions for the sociological analysis of professions regarding standards of professional education, forms of public regulation, strategies of market closure or autonomy. This paper highlights the policies for and the formal regulation of professional education in the European Union. Data are based on policy documents, directives and agreements with a particular focus on the cases of architects and psychologists. Psychology demonstrates most elements of a professional project, proactively emphasising education, research and academic status and new tasks on an international market. Architecture demonstrates a more established occupation defending the market and emphasising the social status and the ubiquitous and general role of architecture. There has been a shift from “hard” regulation to more “soft” regulation, allowing more room for professional actors to organise themselves and define their rules of mobility, as well as more initiatives from below and within national and supranational associations.