Holders of qualifications obtained in another Member State of the European Union often ask whether they need a Dichiarazione di valore to have them recognised in Italy. The answer depends on the procedure. For the recognition of professional qualifications under Directive 2005/36/EC the consular statement is not required, because the Directive provides its own documents. For academic recognition and equivalence it remains, together with the CIMEA statements, the document that universities and ministries expect, although the courts have clarified that its absence cannot by itself prevent the assessment.
Professional recognition: not required
An EU citizen who applies to an Italian ministry for the recognition of a professional qualification obtained in a Member State documents it with the qualification itself, the certificate of conformity or the certificate of good standing issued by the home competent authority, and the proof of professional experience. These documents, provided for by the Directive and by Legislative Decree 206/2007, replace the Dichiarazione di valore, and a ministry cannot require it as a condition of admissibility. Some ministries still mention it in their lists as an optional document, and in borderline cases, for instance when the home authority’s certificate is unclear on the level of training, it can help, but it is not a requirement.
Academic recognition and equivalence: expected but not decisive
For the academic recognition of an EU degree by an Italian university, for equivalence for further study and for the recognition of qualifications for public competitions, universities and ministries ask for the Dichiarazione di valore or, increasingly, for the CIMEA statements of comparability and verification, which can be obtained online and which Law 148/2002 and the ministerial rules on enrolment allow them to accept in its place. The statement gives the authority an authoritative description of the qualification, its level in the system of origin, the accreditation of the institution and the rights it confers, and makes the assessment faster and more accurate. For this reason it remains strongly advisable even where it is not strictly mandatory.
What the Council of State has said
The Italian Council of State has held that the absence of the Dichiarazione di valore does not prevent the competent authority from carrying out a rigorous assessment of the foreign qualification, and that the authority must examine the substantive correspondence between the content of the foreign training and the Italian programme using every means at its disposal, rather than treating the presence or absence of the consular document as decisive. The statement is therefore a supporting document, useful and often requested, but a refusal based solely on its absence is open to challenge. In practice the firm advises clients to obtain it, or the CIMEA statements, whenever the procedure allows the time, and to rely on the case law only when the consulate cannot issue it within the deadline of the procedure.
Documents for an EU qualification
Public documents issued in a Member State benefit from Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, which exempts certain categories from legalisation and apostille, but degrees and transcripts are generally outside those categories and the receiving authority may still ask for the apostille, which within the EU is quick to obtain. Translations into Italian must be sworn before an Italian court, or certified according to the rules of the receiving authority. The Diploma Supplement, where the university issued one, is accepted by Italian authorities as the description of the programme and reduces the need for further documents. The firm checks which documents the specific authority requires before any translation is made.
Frequently asked questions
I am a nurse qualified in Spain: do I need a Dichiarazione di valore for the Ministry of Health?
No. Nursing is a profession with automatic recognition under the Directive, and the Ministry requires the qualification, the certificate of conformity issued by the Spanish authority and the certificate of good standing. The Dichiarazione di valore is not part of the file.
I want to enrol in an Italian master’s programme with a German bachelor’s degree: what do I need?
The degree and the transcript, the Diploma Supplement if issued, the CIMEA statement of comparability or the Dichiarazione di valore according to the university’s rules, and sworn translations where the documents are not in Italian or English. Most universities accept the CIMEA statement.
Is an EU degree automatically recognised in Italy?
No. Automatic recognition exists only for the professional qualifications listed in the Directive’s annexes. Academic recognition of an EU degree follows the same procedure as any other foreign degree, before an Italian university, although the comparison is usually easier thanks to the Bologna Process and the ECTS credits.
Where do I obtain a Dichiarazione di valore for a French degree?
From the Italian consulate competent for the city where the university is located, regardless of where you now live. The procedure, the documents and the waiting time are set by each consulate, and the CIMEA statement is the alternative that can be requested from Italy.
Do you have a qualification from another EU country?
Send us a scan and tell us what you need it for: you receive within one working day the documents actually required for your procedure, with no unnecessary consular visits, and a written quote.
