Brussels, 07/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - Among the various reactions to the amended draft directive on services in the internal market (see EUROPE 9167 and 9168), those from the interest groups vary between satisfaction, through mixed to disappointment.
The SME union of the European People's Party (EPP) felt that the amended proposal would fill the first objective of the “services” directive, that is, “to open up markets and remove barriers”. “The Parliamentary compromise had to be respected, eve, though it contains some deficiencies,” said Secretary General Christoph Leitl in a press release. Among the progress made, he pointed out “more than 100 important provisions that require Member States to remove barriers and to make business establishment easier by reducing bureaucracy”.
By excluding temporary employment agencies from the directive, the European Commission had buckled under protectionist pressure, said eurociett, the European Confederation of Private Employment Services (see EUROPE 9163). This organisation felt that the Commission had failed in its roles as guardian of the treaties and promoter of the single European market. It pointed to EU Court of Justice case-law which confirmed that the aim of worker protection could not serve as the basis for depriving temporary employment agencies of their right to benefit from the fundamental liberties of the European Treaty.
EuroCommerce expressed “mixed feelings” over the amended proposal which it saw as the “lowest common denominator” in the improvement of the internal services market. The retail, international trade and wholesale organisation said the chapter on the right of establishment was “a step in the right direction”. On the cross-border provision of services governed by the principle of free provision (Article 16), EuroCommerce was partly satisfied by the new wording of the article. The lack of legal security could still represent an unfortunate obstacle for companies, said Secretary General Xavier Durieu in a press release.
The Union sociale pour l'habitat welcomed the Commission's decision to take on board the vote in Parliament, particularly on the exclusion of social housing from the scope of the revised directive. This was a positive signal for the Union which is part of the principle of balance between the treaties, social cohesion and general interest requirements.