Press Release: Freedom to provide services: Commission takes action against Belgium (temporary employment agencies), Germany (care service reimbursement) and Portugal and Austria (patent agents)

The European Commission took action on 18 March 2010 to ensure respect of the principle of freedom to provide services in Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Austria. The Commission will refer Germany to the Court of Justice over its rules on reimbursement of cost of care services received in other Member States and Belgium over its rules on temporary employment agencies. In the area of patent agents – who obtain and enforce intellectual property rights on behalf of either individual inventors or organisations – Portugal will also be referred to the Court while Austria will receive a letter of formal notice requesting full information on its execution of a previous Court judgment.