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The Implementation of the Services Directive in the Netherlands

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The Implementation of the EU Services Directive

Abstract

The EU Services Directive (SD) is a centrepiece for the realisation of the Internal Market in the services sector aiming at considerably lowering the barriers for service provision in the EU. This chapter therefore analyses the transposition and implementation of the requirements of the SD into the national (administrative) law system of The Netherlands. This chapter treats all relevant requirements of the SD, such as the Point of Single Contact (POSC), the screening of national law according to the requirements of the SD, the adaption of authorisation schemes for service provision, the requirement of ‘tacit authorisation’, and the need for new rules on administrative cooperation. Finally an assessment of the impact of the SD on the national (administrative) law system is provided.

Prof. Dr. Alexandra (Sacha) Prechal—Professor of European Law at the Europe Institute of the School of Law at Utrecht University, since 10 June 2010 she is Judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Ass. Prof. Dr. S.A. (Sybe) de Vries—Associate Professor in European Law at the Europe Institute of the School of Law at Utrecht University.

Frederik van Doorn, MSc, LL.M.—Policy adviser at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. Every opinion expressed in this research is strictly personal.

The authors would like to thank Sophie Hiensch and Maartje Möhring for their valuable research assistance. Latest update April 2010.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 16–17. See also Hessel et al. 2009, pp. 42–45.

  2. 2.

    In this context, the Dutch legislator mentions that this means that the transposition process will result in a minimum of so-called ‘nationale koppen’, i.e., situations where the legislator goes beyond the minimum requirements of the SD (Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 16).

  3. 3.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 16.

  4. 4.

    BZK 2009, p. 19.

  5. 5.

    See http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/services/docs/services-dir/guides/handbook_en.pdf.

  6. 6.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 16.

  7. 7.

    See e.g., Recital 48 SD, as well as Articles 6 (2) and 10 (7) SD.

  8. 8.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 16–17.

  9. 9.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 17.

  10. 10.

    See http://www.dienstenrichtlijn.ez.nl.

  11. 11.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, p. 5.

  12. 12.

    See http://www.dienstenrichtlijn.ez.nl/images/stories/Checklist_Aanvullende_doorlichting.pdf.

  13. 13.

    See http://www.dienstenrichtlijn.ez.nl/veelgestelde-vragen-nieuw/11-algemeen/254-welke-instanties-zijn-bij-de-dienstenrichtlijn-betrokken.

  14. 14.

    See e.g., Duijkersloot and Widdershoven 2007, Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 10 ff.; BZK 2009, p. 24.

  15. 15.

    See e.g., Duijkersloot and Widdershoven 2007, p. 192.

  16. 16.

    Article 4 (1) SD. See Hessel 2007a, Hessel et al. 2009.

  17. 17.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 13.

  18. 18.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 15.

  19. 19.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. C, p. 11.

  20. 20.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 15.

  21. 21.

    Article 2 (1) SD.

  22. 22.

    Article 4 (1) SD.

  23. 23.

    See also BZK 2009, p. 25.

  24. 24.

    Recital 33 SD.

  25. 25.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 11 ff.

  26. 26.

    Article 2 (2) SD.

  27. 27.

    Article 2 (3) SD.

  28. 28.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 12–13.

  29. 29.

    Recital 9 SD.

  30. 30.

    Case C-544/03 and C-545/03, Mobistar SA v. Commune de Fléron, and Belgacom Mobile SA v. Commune de Schaerbeek [2005] ECR I-07723, para 26–35; Case 465/05, Commission v. Italy [2007] ECR I-11091, para 46–48.

  31. 31.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 15; BZK 2009, p. 28.

  32. 32.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 16.

  33. 33.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 29.

  34. 34.

    Hessel et al. 2009, pp. 54–55.

  35. 35.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 17 ff.

  36. 36.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, pp. 3–6.

  37. 37.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 18; BZK 2009, p. 20.

  38. 38.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 2.

  39. 39.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 3–6.

  40. 40.

    See more extensively Hessel et al. 2009, pp. 15–37. See also GijĂ³n 2008, pp. 369–370.

  41. 41.

    Van Meerten 2008, pp. 253–254.

  42. 42.

    See e.g., Case C-55/94, Gebhard [1995] ECR I-4165; Case C-215/01, Bruno Schnitzer [2003] I-14847.

  43. 43.

    See especially Recital 40 of the SD.

  44. 44.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 6.

  45. 45.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 20.

  46. 46.

    This is also acknowledged in the literature; see e.g., Drijber 2004, Belhadj et al. 2007, Douma 2007, Hessel 2007a, Hessel 2007b, Hessel 2007c, GijĂ³n 2008.

  47. 47.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 21.

  48. 48.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 4; SER 2005.

  49. 49.

    SER 2004.

  50. 50.

    See also Recital 17–18 SD.

  51. 51.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 52.

  52. 52.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 52.

  53. 53.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 53.

  54. 54.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 6, pp. 24–25.

  55. 55.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, p. 4.

  56. 56.

    See more extensively Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 6, pp. 26–27; Schiebroek 2009b, pp. 143–172.

  57. 57.

    See http://www.antwoordvoorbedrijven.nl.

  58. 58.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 24–27; BZK 2009, pp. 21–22.

  59. 59.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 29.

  60. 60.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 25.

  61. 61.

    Recital 48 SD.

  62. 62.

    BZK 2009, p. 57.

  63. 63.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 39–41.

  64. 64.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 39.

  65. 65.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 34.

  66. 66.

    Article 7 (5) SD does, however, encourage points of single contact to make the information provided available in other Community languages.

  67. 67.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 33.

  68. 68.

    See Articles 2:13–2:17 of the General Administrative Law Act.

  69. 69.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 27.

  70. 70.

    Commission decision of 2 October 2009 setting out the practical arrangements for the exchange of information by electronic means between Member States under Chapter VI of Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market, OJ L 263/32, and Commission decision of 16 October 2009 setting out measures facilitating the use of procedures by electronic means through the ‘points of single contact’ under Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market, OJ L 274/36.

  71. 71.

    Kamerstukken II 2009/10, 31 859, nr. 4.

  72. 72.

    See e.g., COM (2006) 173 final.

  73. 73.

    Article 4 (6) SD.

  74. 74.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 43; BZK 2009, p. 37.

  75. 75.

    Van Meerten 2008, p. 252.

  76. 76.

    See also Van Meerten 2008, pp. 254–255.

  77. 77.

    Hessel 2007a.

  78. 78.

    Hessel refers to Case C-302/97, Klaus Konle v. Republik Ă–sterreich [1999] ECR I-3099; Joined cases C-515/99, C-519/99 to C-524/99 and C-526/99 to C-540/99, Hans Reisch and Others v. BĂ¼rgermeister der Landeshauptstadt Salzburg and Grundverkehrsbeauftragter des Landes Salzburg and Anton Lassacher and Others v. Grundverkehrsbeauftragter des Landes Salzburg and Grundverkehrslandeskommission des Landes Salzburg [2002] ECR I-02157; Case C-425/01, Margarethe Ospelt and Schlössle Weissenberg Familienstiftung [2003] ECR I-09743.

  79. 79.

    Hessel et al. 2009, pp. 61–62.

  80. 80.

    See also Van Meerten 2008, pp. 251–252.

  81. 81.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 24.

  82. 82.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 24.

  83. 83.

    Van Meerten 2008, p. 251.

  84. 84.

    Van Meerten 2008, p. 252.

  85. 85.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, p. 7.

  86. 86.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, p. 16.

  87. 87.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 43; BZK 2009, p. 43; Hessel et al. 2009, p. 61.

  88. 88.

    See BZK 2009, p. 37 ff.

  89. 89.

    Hessel et al. 2009, p. 63.

  90. 90.

    Schiebroek 2009a, p. 98.

  91. 91.

    Hessel 2007a, Hessel et al. 2009, pp. 63–64. See Case C-302/97, Klaus Konle v. Republik Ă–sterreich [1999] ECR I-3099; Joined cases C-515/99, C-519/99 to C-524/99 and C-526/99 to C-540/99, Hans Reisch and Others v. BĂ¼rgermeister der Landeshauptstadt Salzburg and Grundverkehrsbeauftragter des Landes Salzburg and Anton Lassacher and Others v. Grundverkehrsbeauftragter des Landes Salzburg and Grundverkehrslandeskommission des Landes Salzburg [2002] ECR I-02157; Case C-425/01, Margarethe Ospelt and Schlössle Weissenberg Familienstiftung [2003] ECR I-09743.

  92. 92.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 22–24.

  93. 93.

    See also Recital 59 SD.

  94. 94.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 23.

  95. 95.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 22–23.

  96. 96.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 22–23.

  97. 97.

    See also Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 111–112.

  98. 98.

    BZK 2009, pp. 38–39.

  99. 99.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 112.

  100. 100.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 19–20.

  101. 101.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 19–20; Schiebroek 2009a, pp. 106–107.

  102. 102.

    See e.g., Van Ommeren 2004.

  103. 103.

    See Division 3.2 of the General Administrative Law Act concerning ‘The duty of care and the weighing of interests’, as well as Drahmann 2009.

  104. 104.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 19.

  105. 105.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 108–109.

  106. 106.

    See e.g., Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 47–52; Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, pp. 7–8; Kamerstukken I 2008/09, 31 579, nr. C, pp. 21–26; Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 14; Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 6, pp. 19–24; Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 15; Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. F, pp. 1–5; BZK 2009, pp. 42–49; Schiebroek 2009a, pp. 99–105.

  107. 107.

    See e.g., BZK 2009, p. 19.

  108. 108.

    Article 13 (4) SD.

  109. 109.

    See Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 49, as well as Recital 63 SD.

  110. 110.

    It had been used, for example, in the Dutch Competition Act.

  111. 111.

    Schiebroek 2009a, p. 99.

  112. 112.

    That is, pursuant to Article 6:2 General Administrative Law Act (Awb), the failure to make an order in due time has been equated with an order for the purposes of statutory regulations governing objections and appeals.

  113. 113.

    Schiebroek 2009a, pp. 101–102.

  114. 114.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 579, nr. 14.

  115. 115.

    Schiebroek 2009a, p. 100.

  116. 116.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 50.

  117. 117.

    Schiebroek 2009a, p. 101.

  118. 118.

    Schiebroek 2009a, pp. 104–105.

  119. 119.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 21.

  120. 120.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 138.

  121. 121.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 21.

  122. 122.

    See also Van Meerten 2008, pp. 254–255.

  123. 123.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 20.

  124. 124.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 21.

  125. 125.

    See Van Meerten 2008, p. 253.

  126. 126.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 3, p. 4.

  127. 127.

    Kamerstukken II 2008/09, 31 859, nr. 2.

  128. 128.

    See Hessel et al. 2009.

  129. 129.

    Van Meerten 2008, pp. 253–254.

  130. 130.

    Van Meerten 2008, p. 254.

  131. 131.

    Van Meerten 2008, p. 255.

  132. 132.

    See also SER 2005, Belhadj et al. 2007.

  133. 133.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 138.

  134. 134.

    Belhadj et al. 2007.

  135. 135.

    Belhadj et al. 2007.

  136. 136.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 136–137.

  137. 137.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 136–137. See also BZK 2009, p. 23.

  138. 138.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 20–21; BZK 2009, p. 33.

  139. 139.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 20.

  140. 140.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 94. See http://www.consuwijzer.nl.

  141. 141.

    Schiebroek 2009a, p. 108.

  142. 142.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 114.

  143. 143.

    See also Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 58–59; BZK 2009, pp. 64–65, Schiebroek 2009a, pp.109–110.

  144. 144.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 61.

  145. 145.

    This type of information includes information on a person’s religious or philosophical beliefs, race, political opinions, health, sex life, and membership of a trade union (Sauerwein and Linnemann 2001, p. 47 ff.).

  146. 146.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 67 and pp. 123–125.

  147. 147.

    See also Schiebroek 2009a, pp. 110–111.

  148. 148.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 57–59.

  149. 149.

    COM(2005) 690 final and COM(2008) 332 final.

  150. 150.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, pp. 116–120.

  151. 151.

    See also Van Meerten 2008, pp. 264 ff.

  152. 152.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 58.

  153. 153.

    Kamerstukken II 2007/08, 31 579, nr. 3, p. 94.

  154. 154.

    Cf. Backes 2009, who catches the assessment of the implementation in the terms ‘much ado about nothing or the beginning of a new administrative culture?’ On the last point he is somewhat hesitant, however.

  155. 155.

    Cf. www.antwoordvoorbedrijven.nl.

  156. 156.

    With one major concern remaining: the use of foreign languages. How to make the system accessible for foreign service providers?

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Prechal, S., de Vries, S., van Doorn, F. (2012). The Implementation of the Services Directive in the Netherlands. In: Stelkens, U., WeiĂŸ, W., Mirschberger, M. (eds) The Implementation of the EU Services Directive. T.M.C. Asser Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-840-8_19

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