Brussels, 16/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 October, the European Commission sent a letter of formal notice (the warning letter that is the first stage of the EU's infringement proceedings) to Poland and Sweden for failure to fully transpose a 2003 directive introducing common criteria for the use of information produced, collected and shared by public bodies in the EU. Neither country has fully introduced all the directive's measures into law, particularly the measures banning excusive agreements and discrimination, but the Commission says these measures are vital to open up monopoly markets to competition and ensure an even playing field for all potential users of state information. (I.L./trans.fl)