Federal Court Movement in the recognition of foreign osteopathic diplomas
The Federal Supreme Court has opened a new door for osteopaths working in Switzerland with foreign diplomas. Based on the ban on discrimination enshrined in the EU Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons, the equivalence of domestic and foreign diplomas must be examined.
04.02.2026, 23:59
SDA
When examining applications, all authorities previously relied on the directive of the EU Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons (AFMP) on the recognition of professional qualifications. As a result, a master's degree in osteopathy obtained in Germany, for example, was not recognized in Switzerland.
The Federal Supreme Court ruled that an equivalence assessment should be carried out based on the prohibition of discrimination enshrined in the AFMP and the principle of proportionality.
In contrast to the previously invoked directive, Switzerland has considerable discretion in the context of the proportionality test. In the case of an osteopath from Thurgau with a German Master's degree, the Federal Administrative Court must now carry out this examination.
