Directive On Services In The Internal Market

National Level

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered a Parliamentary Question on the draft Services Directive on 11 October 2006.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment gave a speech to the Institute of European Affairs, Brussels, 29^th May 2006.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered a Parliamentary Question on the draft Services Directive on 17 May 2006.

The Minister of State for Labour Affairs at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment addressed the annual conference of the National Recruitment Federation on 6^th April 2006.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered a Parliamentary Question (opens up new website) on the draft Services Directive on 23 March 2006.

Report of a SIPTU seminar (opens up new website) on the Services Directive on 10 March 2006 in Cork

Link to press release (opens up new website) of the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) Ireland.

The Minister issued a press release on 16^th February 2006 following the completion of the European Parliament's first reading.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered Parliamentary Questions on the draft Directive on 7 February 2006.

The Services Directive was also part of a debate in the Seanad (Senate) on Employment issues on the 25^th January 2006.

The Services Directive was subject to a debate in the Dail (word document, 900kb) on the 25^th and 26^th of January 2006.

Mr. T. Kitt, T.D., Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, addressed a seminar on the draft Services Directive organised by SIPTU in Liberty Hall, Dublin on 13 January 2006. The other speakers were Mr. Jack O'Connor, General President, SIPTU, Mr. Tony Collins, BL and Mr. Proinsias De Rossa, MEP.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered a Parliamentary Question on the country of origin aspects of the draft Directive, on the 6^th December 2005.

The Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., outlined his views on the future of Europe in a speech at the recent Conference on: 'The Future of Europe : Uniting Visions, Values and Citizens' organised by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice in Croke Park Conference Centre, on Tuesday, 27 September, 2005.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment answered a Parliamentary Question on the draft Directive, on the 18^th April 2005.

The Consumer Policy Section of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has produced a paper looking for a definition of consumer to be included in the draft Directive.

On 2^nd March 2005, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment made a presentation on the draft Directive to the Joint Oireachtas [Parliamentary] Committee on Enterprise and Small Business.

Council

The draft Directive commenced its passage through the relevant Working Party of the Council in February 2004, under the Irish Presidency. Discussions continued at Working Party level under the Netherlands, Luxembourg, UK, Austrian and Finnish Presidencies.

Information note from the EU Commission on the transposition of the Services Directive, which was on the agenda of the Competitiveness Council, 29-30 May, under “any other business” [pdf document, 133kb].

4th eGovernment Ministerial Conference – Lisbon Declaration, 19 September 2007 [pdf document, 229kb]

Directive 2006/123/EC of The European Parliament and of The Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market – OJ L 376/36 (pdf document, 213kb)

Council Secretariat Press Release - Services in the internal market: The Council proceeds to its final adoption, 11 December 2006.

The Services Directive was adopted at the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council meeting – see page 33 (pdf document, 307kb), 11 December 2006.

Press Release from Finnish Presidency on the European Parliament's vote on the Directive, 15 November 2006.

Council Secretariat Press Release following adoption of Common Position on the Services Directive (pdf document, 133kb).

Competitiveness Council 24 July 2006 – Council Secretariat Press Release (pdf document, 235kb).

Common Position text (opens up new website), adopted by the Competitiveness Council, 24 July 2006.

Council Secretariat report of 29/30 May 2006 meeting of the Competitiveness Council (pdf document, 235kb).

News alert from 29^th May, 2006 Council.

Press release from the Austrian Presidency following the Informal Competitiveness Council at Graz, Austria, 22^nd April 2006.

The Chairman of the Competitiveness Council welcomed the Commission's amended proposal on 4^th April 2006.

Brussels European Council 23/24 March 2006 - Presidency Conclusions (opens up new website).

2715th Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry and Research) Council meeting - Brussels, 13 March 2006.

Bartenstein welcomes agreement in European Parliament on Services Directive

Council Secretariat Press Release - UK Presidency conclusions 15/16 December 2005

Council Secretariat Press Release of the 28th/29th November 2005 meeting of the Competitiveness Council (see page 26) (pdf document, 284kb).

The Competitiveness Council discussed the draft Directive at its meeting on the 6th and 7th of June 2005 (word document, 23kb).

The Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications was adopted on 6th June 2005.

Council Secretariat Press Release of the 6th/7th June 2005 meeting of the Competitiveness Council (see page 8) (pdf document, 243kb).

(EU) EU/COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL: Council continues work on "services" directive in spirit of March European Council, 6 June 2005 (word document, 29kb).

Parliament

The draft Directive was subject to co-decision with the European Parliament. The relevant committee of the Parliament is the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). The Parliament held a Hearing on the draft Directive on 11th November 2004. The relevant Committee of the Parliament is the Committee of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO). The lead Rapporteur is Mrs. Evelyne Gebhardt. The Parliament's First Reading is expected early in 2006. IMCO debated an initial draft report (word document, 135kb) on the proposal by the Rapporteur on 19^th April 2005 and a full draft report (word document, 400kb) by the Rapporteur on 24^th May 2005. Mrs Gebhardt has also produced four documents of further amendments to her draft report, as follows:

• Amendments 152-426 (pdf document, 881kb)
• Amendments 427-746 (pdf document, 631kb)
• Amendments 747-941 (pdf document, 616kb)
• Amendments 942-1154 (pdf document 621kb)
  

Directive 2006/123/EC of The European Parliament and of The Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market – OJ L 376/36 (pdf document, 213kb)

Amendments to the Common Position tabled for the European Parliament Plenary session, 15 November 2006. Amendments 40-42 were adopted by the Parliament.

European Parliament press release – Internal Market Committee backs Council text – 24 October 2006

Draft IMCO amendments to the Common Position

European Parliament consolidated text (opens up new website), this page also contains some frequently asked questions.

Provisional version (opens up new website), of the European Parliament outcome of the vote on the Services Directive of 16 February 2006.

Article on the draft Services Directive by Commissioner McCreevy in the Sunday Business Post, Dublin, 19th February 2006.

Reaction from Commissioner McCreevy to the European Parliament's first reading on 16th February 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's Statement on the Services Directive at the European Parliament Plenary session of February 2006 (word document, 25kb).

The Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED) proposal for an internal market clause in the Services Directive (word document, 20kb).

Agence Europe Report on Commissioner McCreevy's appearance before the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee, 13^th June 2005 (word document, 24kb).

Ten European Parliament Committees have delivered final Opinions on the proposal, as follows:

• Internal market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) - Final Report (pdf document, 1.08mb)
• The Employment and Social Affairs Committee (pdf document, 376kb)
• The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (pdf document, 300kb)
• The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (pdf document, 225kb)
• The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (word document, 130kb)
• The Committee on Culture and Education (pdf document, 190kb)
• The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (pdf document, 134kb)
• The Committee on Budgetary Control (word document, 90kb)
• The Legal Affairs Committee (pdf document, 249kb)
• The Committee on Petitions (pdf document, 140kb)
  

The Euractiv.com website indicates that there has been a mixed reaction (opens up new website), to the IMCO vote on the draft Directive.

Final report by the Internal market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) of the European Parliament, dated 15 December 2005, on the draft Services Directive (PDFdocument, 1.08mb).

The latest version of the Compromise Amendments (opens up new website), document as posted on the European Parliament website 22 November 2005.

Commission

The original proposal can be downloaded from this link: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52004PC0002:EN:NOT.

The Commission have published a document, “Quality of services – the role of European codes of conduct”, 19 December 2007. Unfortunately this document is only available in French at the moment.

The European Commission has launched a consultation process on codes of conduct, which are referred to in Article 37 of the Services Directive. The consultative procedure is open from 30 May 2007 until 30 July 2007.

Commissioner McCreevy's speech on the Regulated Professions and the Services Directive, Dublin, 24 November 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy’s Statement on the vote in the European Parliament on the Services Directive, 15 November 2006

Commissioner McCreevy's speech to the Internal Market Committee (IMCO) on the Services Directive, 23 October 2006.

The Benefits of the Single Market – Commissioner McCreevy's speech to a conference organised by ANO pro Evropu, Prague 13 October 2006.

Commission Communication to the European Parliament on the Common Position adopted by the Competitiveness Council on 24 July 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's Annual Policy Strategy address to the Internal Market Committee (IMCO) at the European Parliament, 20 June, 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's speech on Reviewing the Single Market, 8 June 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's interview with The Irish Times, June 3rd, 2006.

Commission Communication on Social Services of General Interest.

Eurociett Press Release (pdf document, 152kb) on the Commission's amended proposal, 4^th April 2006.

Commission Communication (pdf document, 185kb), on Guidance on the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services , 4^th April 2006.

Amended version of the Commission's proposal for a Directive on services in the Internal Market, 4^th April 2006.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Commission's amended proposal, 4^th April 2006.

Commission Press Release on its amended proposal, 4^th April 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's remarks to the European Parliament on the amended Commission proposal, 4^th April 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy statement to the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection on Monday 21 March 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's remarks at the National Forum on Europe, Dublin, 23 February 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's remarks to the European Economic and Social Committee, 21 February 2006.

Article on the draft Services Directive by Commissioner McCreevy in the Sunday Business Post, Dublin, 19th February 2006.

Reaction from Commissioner McCreevy to the European Parliament's first reading on 16th February 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's Statement on the Services Directive at the European Parliament Plenary session of February 2006 (word document, 25kb).

Mr Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission - remarks on the programme of the Austrian Presidency of the European Union made at the Plenary Session of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 18 January 2006.

Commissioner McCreevy's speech at the German-Irish Chamber of Commerce, Dublin, 9 December 2005 - Making the Most of the Internal Market.

Commissioner McCreevy addressed the Institute of European Affairs, Dublin on 14 October 2005, in a speech entitled, - The Future of Europe: Are We Asking the Right Questions? - (pdf document, 233 kb).

Commissioner McCreevy's speech at the informal Competitiveness Council in Cardiff, 12 July 2005.

Commissioner McCreevy referred to the draft Directive in his address to IBEC's biennial lunch on 15th April 2005.

The following Committees have published reports on the draft Directive:

• The Economic and Social Committee (pdf document, 190kb)
• The Committee of the Regions (word document, 60kb)