Introducing a European services e-card

Briefing 03-10-2017

Cross-border provision of services in the EU is relatively common, and is undertaken by an increasing number of entities, especially in sectors such as construction and business. Despite this fact, many service-providers still face obstacles to benefitting from comparable business opportunities available to local persons and organisations. The proposed regulation and accompanying directive aim to tackle these remaining obstacles through the introduction of a European services e-card, meant to increase and simplify cooperation between home and host Member States, as well as through the simplification of the procedures applicable to cross-border service-providers. The proposal drew a mixed response: stakeholders generally welcomed the Commission's efforts to remove existing barriers; however, they raised concerns about possible undesirable consequences that the new proposal might trigger, such as reduced control opportunities, and increases in bogus self-employment and social dumping. These views were shared by a number of national parliaments.