Press Release:Internal Market: Commission takes action to ensure that 12 Member States implement EU rules

In order to ensure EU citizens and companies fully benefit from the internal market, the European Commission took action on 18 March 2010 against a total of 12 Member States. Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal will be referred to the Court of Justice over legislation on prudential assessment of acquisitions in the financial sector, as will Poland over legislation on pension funds. The Commission will send reasoned opinions to Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden over non-implementation of the Shareholders' Rights Directive. Ireland and Spain will be asked in a letter of formal notice for full information on their implementation of the third anti-money laundering Directive following a previous Court judgment on the matter, as will Austria and France in relation to the Professional Qualifications Directive.