Brussels, 26/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 25 February, the European Commission called upon five member states (Germany, Austria, Cyprus, Greece and Poland) to bring their national legislation into line with the Services Directive (2006/123).
According to the European institution, Germany, Austria, Cyprus and Poland still have national rules which include unjustified obstacles to the exercise of certain regulated professions. The German legislation on minimum and maximum wages practised by architects and engineers comes under fire. In Austria, specialist lawyers in patent law are obliged to comply with overly strict rules on establishment (location, legal status, shareholdership). The same applies to the legal status and shareholder structure of architects, engineers and veterinary surgeons. In Cyprus, the problem raised concerns of shareholder requirements for civil engineers and architects. As for Poland, the national legislation on the activities of patent agents is at issue.
The Commission has also called upon Greece to modify its legislation, which imposes excessive rules in the area of mediation services, such as the obligation for these services to be provided by non-profit companies set up by at least one Greek bar association and one of the Greek parliamentary chambers. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)