Press Release: Freedom to provide services: infringement proceedings against Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom

The European Commission took action to put an end to restrictions on freedom to provide services in five Member States. The Commission will refer Italy to the European Court of Justice over its regulations on compulsory maximum fees for lawyers' services. The Commission will send reasoned opinions to the United Kingdom concerning its regulations on trademarks and to Austria concerning its regulations on insolvency. The Commission will also send supplementary reasoned opinions to Belgium concerning the rights of European temporary employment agencies and to Germany concerning employee training in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. A reasoned opinion is the second stage of the infringement procedure laid down in Article 226 of the EC Treaty. If there is no satisfactory reply within two months, the Commission may refer the matter to the European Court of Justice.