Services Directive

Introduction

The EU Services Directive aims to break down barriers to cross border trade in services between countries in the EU.  It will make it easier for service providers, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, to offer their services to customers in other EU countries, whether establishing elsewhere in the EU or providing services remotely from the UK.

EU Member states are required to implement the Directive by 28 December 2009.  BIS leads on implementation in the UK and we are working closely with other Government Departments, the devolved administrations, local authorities, regulators and others in tasks such as screening legislation for compliance with the Directive and establishing an online ‘Point of Single Contact’ for service providers to find out about doing business in the UK.

Further details on the implementation process, including interim results of the large-scale exercise to screen national legislation in the UK for compliance, can be found on our Services Directive Implementation Updates page.

For a copy of the Directive as well as other key documents such as our consultation on implementation and the Government Response to consultation, please see External Links.

Changes to this part of the site will be listed on this page (you may wish to bookmark) and also notified through Info4local for our local authority audience.info4local.gov.uk

 

Latest Changes

1 July 2009: We have published our latest newsletter setting out the latest news on implementation. 

30 June 2009: We have updated our guidance for local authorities to include an annex with guidance on authenticating applicants using electronic means including the use of digital signatures:

The European Services Directive guidance for local authoritiesPDF document (285KB)

 

3 June 2009: We have published guidance to help regulatory bodies who have been identified as a "competent authority" within scope of the Directive (separate guidance for local authorities was published earlier):

The European Services Directive: guidance for competent authoritiesWord document (193KB)

 

2 June 2009: We have published flowcharts that set out the process by which an applicant would use the Point of Single Contact to apply for a licence and then have their application processed by either a local authority or a non-local competent authority:

PSC flowchart for users and simple standard form explanation for local authoritiesWord document (37KB)

 

PSC flowchart for users and competent authoritiesWord document (33KB)

 

28 May 2009: We have published screening flowcharts to help guide local authorities in England through the steps involved in screening any requirements that they impose on service providers for compliance with the Directive. Screening, including reporting outcomes to BERR, of locally used legislation e.g. county (and other) Acts and bylaws will need to be completed by 30 September 2009. A link to the flowcharts has been sent to every PLP in England.  We will publish separate flowcharts for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland shortly.

 

Previous Updates:

We have produced two new leaflets for business which you can download using the links below. The first explains the Directive's key benefits;  whilst the second sets out the information and redress requirements that the Directive introduces.

Keeping your customers informedPDF document (283KB)

 

Sell your services to EuropePDF document (147KB)

 

We also developed a first set of FAQs from our round of Local Authorities workshops which are available in the "information for local authorities" area. We have also set out further information about which activities are in or out of scope of the directive

 

The European Services Directive guidance for local authoritiesPDF document (285KB)

 

If you require further information or would like to receive regular updates, give feedback, ask questions or share views on the Services Directive, please e-mail us at: servicesdirective@berr.gsi.gov.uk

 

 

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