About the CEOM

European Council of Medical Orders

Purpose of the CEOM

The purpose of the CEOM is to promote within the European Union and the European Free Trade Association the practice of high quality medicine respectful of patients’ needs.

To this end, the CEOM develops cooperation between its Participating organisations and lends support to their action by developing quality standards and common positions relating to:

- medical ethics and professional conduct
- free movement of healthcare professionals
- medical demography
- medical regulation
- professional training of physicians
- public health issues related to these subjects

Participating organisations

The CEOM brings together the Medical Councils and the independent medical regulatory authorities of European Union Member States and the European Free Trade Association responsible for either, ethics and professional conduct, registration or licensing procedures, disciplinary matters regarding physicians, recognition of qualifications and levels of specialty, authorization to practice and setting of professional standards.

A list of the participating organisations is available in the Participants section.

Functioning of the CEOM

Functioning rules of the CEOM are defined in the Agreement adopted in June 2011.

In accordance with this Agreement, the CEOM Board is in charge of the CEOM’s daily activity and the coordination of its work (preparation of the plenary meetings, preparation and implementation of the decisions). The Board comprises the President, the First Vice-President, three Vice-Presidents and a Secretary General, all elected for a three year term. The Board meets at least once before each plenary meeting and as often as necessary.

The Board is assisted by its Secretariat in the fulfillment of its missions. The Secretariat function is provided by the French Medical Council Brussels Office.

The working languages of the CEOM are French and English.

The CEOM holds two plenary meetings each year.

Setting up of the CEOM

The International Conference of the Orders and the organizations with similar attributions (CIO) was created in Paris in 1971, on the initiative of Professor LORTAT-JACOB, President of the French Medical Council, and by the Doctors BROCARD and AUTIN, General secretaries of the French Medical Council. The CIO became then the European Conference of the Orders of the Doctors.