European Midwives Association

The Royal College of Midwives is a full member of the European Midwives Association (EMA), formally known as European Midwives Liaison Committee.

The European Midwives Association (EMA) is an international non profit and non-governmental organisation of midwives representing midwifery organisations from the member states of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and EU applicant countries.  

Aims and objectives:

• To advance the provision for midwifery care through establishing and maintaining a common minimum standard of midwifery education and practice

• To disseminate up-to-date midwifery knowledge

• To promote women’s general and reproductive health

• To influence the development and the implementation of European Union-wide legislation on midwifery education and practice

• To support all full and associate national midwifery member associations.

To achieve these aims, the EMA shall pursue the following objectives, among other activities:

• The EMA will be part of the European Health Forum to influence the future regime for professional recognition and legislation

• The EMA brings together the professional interests of midwives in each country. It can present these to appropriate organisations any of which it might seek to influence.

• The EMA represents the professional interests of midwives in the countries it represents to the European Commission and / or other appropriate organisations it might seek to influence.

• The EMA assists member organisations in strengthening their position within their country by offering consultation, giving support in their relationship with relevant governments, non-governmental and governmental bodies.

• The EMA disseminates relevant information from its central secretariat.

Executive Board Members (Board since 1st October 2007):

The EMA holds annual meetings.

Midwives should be involved in antenatal care

The European Midwives Association has called on the government to rectify the "anomalous" situation that prohibited midwives from being involved in the provision of antenatal care. "The absence of midwives' involvement, an activity legislated for in article 42 of the Directive 2005/36/EU, is unacceptable," the association said yesterday. If midwives were involved in antenatal care, the association believed childbearing women in Malta would experience a decrease in the unnecessary intervention in childbirth, with subsequent long-term public health benefits for both women and their families. Quoting data on the outcomes of pregnancy and childbirth in Malta, the association pointed to an induction rate of 36 per cent, a caesarean section rate of 33 per cent and a breastfeeding rate of 59 per cent.

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