Services directive approaches first hurdle at Parliament, February 2006

The directive on the provision of services in the single market is widely regarded as one the European Union's most important projects of the last ten years. On Thursday 16 February MEPs will vote at first reading on the draft legislation. Parliament's largest political groups have reached a compromise on the key points of the directive. They propose far-reaching changes to the original text, although some details of the agreement have still to be spelt out.