... could move towards greater use of minimum harmonisation to harmonise Member State rules which resulted in continuing trade barriers3. In 2004 the European Commission published a proposal for a Services Directive4. The proposals are part of the Lisbon economic reform agenda agreed by European leaders in 2000. The then Commissioner for the Internal Market, Frits Bolkestein declared this was "potentially the biggest boost to the Internal Market since its launch in 1993"5. The proposals for a Services Directive have since come to be known as "the Bolkestein Directive"6. The proposed Directive covers any business activity that constitutes a service provided to consumers or businesses, not including services provided free of charge by public authorities or those services already covered by specific EU law, for example financial services or transport. The Commission has noted that obstacles to the development of service activities between Member States occur particularly ...

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