EU and the UK
date: 11/03/2019
European Commission acts to ensure professionals can fully benefit from the single market
On 7 March, European Commission took further steps in infringement procedures against 26 member states to ensure the full implementation of EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications. Professionals in the EU single market can move across borders and practice their occupation or provide services in another member states. The EU has put rules in place to make it easier for professionals, such as doctors or architects, to have their professional qualifications recognised in another member state. The Commission sent reasoned opinions to 24 member states - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and complementary letters of formal notice to two member states - Estonia and Latvia, regarding the non-compliance of their national legislation and legal practice with EU rules on the recognition of professional qualifications (Directive 2005/36/EC as amended by Directive 2013/55/EU). All member states concerned have now two months to respond to the arguments put forward by the Commission. Without a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion to Estonia and Latvia, and to refer the other 24 member states to the Court of Justice of the EU.
European Commission calls on eight member states to comply with EU law on hydroelectric power concessions
The European Commission decided on 7 March to send letters of formal notice to seven member states - Austria, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and United Kingdom, and a second complementary letter of formal notice to Italy to ensure that public contracts in the hydroelectric power sector are awarded and renewed in conformity with EU law. The Commission considers that the legal frameworks and practices in the countries addressed by these infringement procedures do not fully comply with the Services Directive (Directive 2006/123/EC), EU rules on public procurement (Directive 2014/23/EU on the award of concession contracts) or the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services (Articles 49 and 56 of TFEU). The eight member states concerned now have two months to respond to the arguments raised by the Commission.
European Commission clears acquisition of Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine by Kongsberg
On 4 March, the European Commission approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of Rolls-Royce plc's commercial marine products, systems and aftermarket services business (“Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine”) of the UK by Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (“Kongsberg”) of Norway. Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine is the commercial marine business within the Rolls-Royce group that supplies components, systems and digital elements primarily for civil marine vessels. It does not include Rolls-Royce's power systems business. Kongsberg is the holding company of the Kongsberg group which supplies technological systems and solutions for use in the marine, defence, aerospace and oil and gas industries. The Commission concluded that the proposed transaction would raise no competition concerns given the minor horizontal and vertical relationships between the companies' activities.
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