Brussels, 19/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to send a reasoned opinion to Belgium because it believes non-Belgians who wish to set up clinical biology analysis laboratories are discriminated against. A royal decision of 30 December 1982 outlined the conditions that had to be fulfilled by medical analysis laboratories in order for their customers to be reimbursed for illnesses, by the insurance companies. The Commission believes that this decision restricts the freedom of establishment, particularly because the administrative management of the laboratories has to be done by doctors, pharmacists or graduates in chemical sciences in order for customers to be able to receive medical insurance benefits. Establishments or individuals can only use one laboratory and cannot in any instance be associated to another establishment practising a therapeutic activity. The Commission regards this last constraint as disproportionate, "in relation to the objective, legitimately carried out, by the said authorities in fighting against the illegal allocation of payments amongst health care professionals".