Professional order

A professional order is an organization which, in a given territory, comprises all the members of the same profession, a profession which can generally be exercised in a liberal manner and which ensures a form of regulation of the profession in question.

Unlike a trade union or a professional association, membership in a professional order is not a faculty, but an obligation for the professional, since registration in the order is a necessary condition for the practice of the profession.

Such associations have existed since before the 16th century; for example, the Royal College of Physicians received its charter in 1518, with the "power to grant licenses to those with actual qualifications and to punish unqualified practitioners and those engaging in malpractice".

In France, the oldest professional orders are the "bars" (in French: "Barreau"), which were created in the 17th century. Medical orders are more recent, but the creation of the Order of Physicians in France in 1940 is the culmination of fifty years of claim. The one in Belgium was created in 1938 while its Quebec counterpart, the Collège des médecins du Québec (Quebec College of Physicians) (CMQ), dates back to 1847.

A professional order is a legal person governed by private law with a public service mission, constituted by a law defining its public function and by an implementing decree taken by the Council of State Gives its status.

Under the pressure of the World Trade Organization, relayed by the European Union, many liberal professions tend to be deregulated being seen as obstacles to free trade. On the other hand, many lobby groups propose that certain professions should be supervised by a professional order for a better protection of the public. In addition, some professional associations claim the status of a professional order in order to demonstrate their professionalism and to distinguish themselves from professions not controlled by the professional system.