The routes to professional recognition and regulation vary across countries, including countries within Europe. Only a few countries within Europe have some sort of national regulation in place for behaviour analysts:
Czech Republic
See https://www.ped.muni.cz/en/research/research-and-development/publications/1576237#
Ireland
See https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/groups/Division-of-Behavioural-Psychology
Romania
Current Status of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in Romania
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is currently a formally recognised and regulated field in Romania. A major step in the professional recognition of Behaviour Analysts was achieved in November 2021, when the profession was officially included in the Romanian National Occupational Classification, providing a clear legal identity at national level.
Since January 2024, ABA has been regulated under the authority of the Romanian College of Psychologists, which recognises ABA as a professional specialisation within independent psychological practice. The College accredits long-term professional training programmes and issues licences for the practice of ABA, ensuring professional and ethical oversight.
At present, licensure in ABA is available to licensed psychologists. Legislative amendments are under development to extend eligibility to other relevant professional backgrounds, such as social work, special education, occupational therapy, and medicine. ABA services are also included in the public reimbursement system, allowing children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder to receive state-funded ABA services when services are delivered by licensed professionals.
National Recognition Process of Behaviour Analysts in Romania
Applied Behaviour Analysis began developing in Romania in the early 2010s, primarily through non-governmental organisations and professionals trained internationally. For several years ABA was practiced without a formal regulatory framework, despite increasing demand and demonstrated effectiveness, particularly in autism intervention. In May 2019, the ABA Institute Romania was established with the explicit goal of achieving national recognition, regulation, and professionalisation of Behaviour Analysts. One of the first major outcomes of this effort was the inclusion of the profession of Behaviour Analyst in the Romanian Occupational Classification in November 2021, following extensive inter-institutional consultation with the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and relevant professional bodies. Building on this achievement, between 2022 and 2023 the ABA Institute Romania coordinated the drafting of a dedicated legislative proposal for the establishment of a College of Behaviour Analysts. The draft law was submitted to the Romanian Parliament in April 2023 and generated substantial dialogue at governmental and professional levels. As a result of this process, a strategic decision was reached to integrate the regulation of ABA within an existing statutory authority. In December 2023, the Romanian College of Psychologists formally assumed responsibility for the regulation of Applied Behaviour Analysis. Since then, ABA has been recognised as a professional specialisation, with accredited training pathways and a clear licensure process. This framework also enabled the formal inclusion of ABA services within the public healthcare and social support system, marking an important step toward accessibility and sustainability.
While the regulatory model continues to evolve, Romania has transitioned from an informal practice environment to a nationally recognised and regulated professional field, representing a significant development in the regional context of behavioural services.
United Kingdom
See https://uk-sba.org/psa-accreditation.
Additional Resources
Please also refer to these papers for examples of how recognition and regulation is being approached around the world:
De los Santos, M. et al. (2024). Regulation of Behavior Analysis in 15 Countries of Latin America: Assessing the Challenges and Opportunities for Implementation of the Science. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 458-479.
Keenan, M. et al. (2022). Professional Development of Behavior Analysts in Europe: A Snapshot for 21 Countries. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16, 709-729.
Kelly, M.P. & Trifyllis, I. (2022). Developing National Occupation Standards for Behavior Analysts. European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 23, 196-214.
Thomson, K. et al. (2023). The Long and Winding Road to Professional Regulation in Ontario Canada. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 18, 480-489.