The state of liberal professions concerning their functions and relevance to European civil society

The liberal professions play an important role in the social and economic development of many European countries. They provide jobs, contribute to economic growth and fulfil important social-welfare functions. They typically provide services that are of high importance for the performance of core state functions. These tasks carried out for the common good and in the public interest include; ensuring legal protection for citizens, ensuring the rule of law within the tax and social levy system and a functioning market economy, as well as providing health care for the population. In all these areas, members of the liberal professions serve as particularly qualified service providers (E.g. as lawyers, auditors, accountants, engineers, medical practitioners). The general public places a great deal of trust in their activities aimed at promoting the public interest, which is why the liberal professions can also be referred to as "trust" professions. At the level of the European Union, the liberal professions are increasingly gaining in significance. Thus, the European Commission established a working group on the liberal professions in the spring of 2013, which deals with these professions from an economic and legal perspective. The Entrepreneurship Action Plan for 2020, with which the Commission intends to unleash Europe's entrepreneurial potential; emphasises that the liberal professions make a significant contribution to the EU economy. Against this background, the study aims to investigate the social and economic functions of the liberal professions on the one hand, and the legal framework for the legal professions in the Member States on the other hand. It provides an overview of quantitative aspects, economic indicators, functions and legal framework of the liberal professions in Europe using jurisprudential, economic, and social science methods. In order to achieve this goal, the subject of the study ("The State of Liberal Professions and Their Functions and Relevance to European Civil Society") is divided among several issues for investigation. The present summary reproduces the most significant findings of the study.