24/04/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Wednesday 24 April, the European Commission decided to refer the Czechia to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to correctly transpose EU rules on proportionality of professional regulations (Directive 2018/958). This Directive governs the proportionality assessment of new rules restricting access to regulated professions. Member States are required to ensure that any national regulation of professions pursues legitimate public interest objectives and is necessary and balanced to prevent unjustified barriers in the Single Market and to facilitate access to regulated professions, according to a press release. Prague failed to ensure that all measures covered by the Directive, in particular those being initiated by professional bodies and parliamentary amendments, undergo a prior proportionality assessment, nor did it ensure the assessment of the cumulative impact of multiple requirements introduced simultaneously. (SP)