Brussels, 27/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission decided to take additional measures in 955 legal actions against the Member States which, it believes, have infringed the obligations incumbent upon it in virtue of Community law. This is the second quarterly series of infringement proceedings which the Commission has launched in 2007.
Among the very many decisions taken this 27 June, the Commission has sent reasoned opinions to two Member States and a letter of formal notice to a third, because they have refused to grant licences to private operators in the field of sports betting, which remains a State monopoly in several countries (see other article). The Commission has also decided to bring seven countries reserving access to the profession of notary to their nationals alone, contrary to the rules under the EC Treaty on the freedom of establishment, before the Court of Justice. Furthermore, further to a failure to execute an initial ruling of the Court of Justice, the Commission has also asked for financial sanctions to be inflicted on Greece, which authorises only licensed opticians, and not companies, to own optical shops, which is against the rules of the right of establishment, and against Portugal, which has hindered the free movement of polyethylene tubes produced in other Member states. EUROPE will come back in more detail on all of these infringement procedures over the next few days. (ol)