EUROPEAN SERVICES DIRECTIVE VOTE

16 February 2006

Today’s Services Directive vote, which has been adopted by the European Parliament, please consider the following comment from the British Retail Consortium (BRC):

BRC Director General, Kevin Hawkins, says:

“BRC is disappointed that more is not being done to assist retail growth throughout the EU, one of the few job creating sectors in our economy. The ability to open retail outlets when and where customers want them would bring enormous economic benefits to the European consumer.

“UK MEPs have done a good job in convincing their European colleagues that businesses should only go through a single point of contact when setting up in another Member State. Still much more needs to be done to reinvigorate the EU economy. We urge the European Commission to consider how this vote assists consumer interests when revising the text over the coming weeks and months.”