No L 267/26 Official Journal of the European Communities 19. 9. 86 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 15 September 1986 on specific training in general medical practice (86/457/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 49, 57 and 66 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to' the opinion of the European Parliament (%), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas Council Directive 75/362/EEC(*), as last amended by the 1985 Act of Accession, and Council Directive 75/363/EEC (°), as last amended by Directive 82/76/EEC (¢), on freedom of movement for medical prac- titioners, contain no provisions regarding the mutual recognition of diplomas attesting to specific training in general medical practice or the criteria to which such training should conform ; Whereas, although the Council did not consider that the time was right to take appropriate measures on the matter at Community level, it nevertheless noted that in a number of Member States there was a growing tendency to emphasize the general medical practitioner’s role and () OJ No C 13, 15. 1. 1985, p. 3 and OJ No C 125, 24. 5. 1986, p. 8. () O] No C 36, 17. 2. 1986, p. 149. () O] No C 218, 29. 8. 1985, p. 9. () OJ No L 167, 30. 6. 1975, p. 1. - () O] No L 167, 30. 6. 1975, p. 14. (9 O] No L 43, 15. 2. 1982, p. 21. the importance of his training; whereas it accordingly requested the Commission to study the problems connected with this development; Whereas the point has now been reached where it is almost universally recognized that there is a need for specific training for the general medical practitioner to enable him better to fulfil his function; whereas this function, which depends to a great extent on the doctor’s personal knowledge of his patients’ environment, consists of giving advice on the prevention of iliness and on the protection of the patient’s general health, besides giving appropriate treatment ; Whereas this need for specific training in general medical practice has emerged mainly as a result of the develop- ment of medical science, which has increasingly widened the gap between medical research and teaching on the one hand and general medical practice on the other, so that important aspects of general medical practice can no longer be taught in a satisfactory manner within the framework of the Member States’ current basic medical training ; Whereas, apart from the benefit to patients, it is also recognized that improved training for the specific func- tion of general medical practitioner would contribute to an improvement in health care, particularly by developing a more selective approach to the consultation of special- ists, use of laboratories and other highly specialized estab- lishments and equipment; Whereas improved training for general medical practice will upgrade the status of the general medical practitioner ;