European Union countries are not obliged to recognise legal training undertaken by would-be lawyers in other member states, but should take account of it, the European Court of Justice ruled last week.

Handing down judgment in the Morgenbesser case - in which a French law student was denied registration with the Genovese bar because she had not studied in Italy - the court said the mutual recognition of qualifications enshrined in the Rights of Establishment Directive and the Diplomas Directive only apply to qualified lawyers.

However, it said that national rules which do not take account of learning, skills and qualifications already acquired by a national of another member state outside the host state hinder the exercise of the freedoms of establishment and movement.

It said that member states 'must make a comparative examination' of the legal training.

If there are substantial differences between the two legal systems, the host state can require trainee lawyers to acquire the learning and skills they lack.

June O'Keeffe, Law Society head of EU and WTO affairs, said the ruling would make it easier for trainees to move around the community.