On the absence of a professional doctorate in Germany and the corresponding distortion of competition for German doctors 

The petitioner claims that the practice in Germany not to have a professional doctorate for medical doctors creates a clear distortion of competition to German medical doctors as compared to their Austrian colleagues, practicing in Germany. The various medical courses in EU Member States are equivalent. The Austrian diploma or master's program provides for the title Dr. med. univ.. This curriculum is equivalent to the German medical study with the state examination. The latter however comes without the title Dr. med. univ., as the German universities do not deliver a professional doctorate, despite the recommendation of the German Science Council. Neither there is a possibility for German doctors to prepare a diploma thesis in Austria, as this would require them to follow again a complete second-degree curriculum. The petitioner asks for an EU intervention in order to foster the desired convergence at EU-level on such a matter.