European deputies adopted, Thursday February 16, in first reading, the proposal for a Directive relating to the liberalization of services in the EU. They removed the very discussed "country of origin principle" and excluded some services of general economic interest (SGEI). The text is the result of a compromise between the two biggest European parliamentary groups, the European popular Party (EPP, right-wing) and the Party of European Socialists (PES). It was adopted by a comfortable majority of 391 votes for, 213 against and 34 abstentions. (Ref. 06151)
- Removal of the country of origin principle: the draft Directive rejects the law of the country of origin within the framework of free movement of services and founds the principle of free transnational service providing. This obliges Member States to respect the right to provide services and to guarantee to providers “free access to the activity of services and the free exercise on its territory”.
- Limitations remain possible… While prohibiting Member States to block free movement of services
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