The new Services Act in The Netherlands
Implementation of the EU Services Directive
Jan Leerling, senior Legal Advisor
The Netherlands Chamber of Commerce
11 June 2009
Significance
• Benefits of one internal market: economic growth between 1,4 and 6,3 billion euro
• In line with several existing Dutch programs– Less administrative burdens / rules– Simplification of permits– Several e-government programs
• Especially for service providers active but not residing in another EU member state
• And a great stimulus for online transactions within The Netherlands itself
Legal approach
Implementation mandatory before 28 Dec. 2009
• 2006 - 2008 Screening Dutch legislation• 2006 - Monitoring new legislation
(Commercial Register Act / decree)
• 2008 - 2009 Services Act (proposal)
(Main obligations; change legislation)
• 2010 - Alteration Act (proposal, 6 months)
• 201? - Act for small repairs
Two electronic Points of Single Contact
• One electronic Point of Information to consumers – National Consumer Authority – www.consuwijzer.nl
• One electronic portal for service providers and business customers– At Ministry of Economic Affairs– Information, support, procedures and formalities – For enterprises / business customers– From EU member states– In Dutch / partly English– www.antwoordvoorbedrijven.nl (answer for companies)
´Answer for companies´ portal (1)
• Providing information/ support– By competent authorities (CCI´s) and Ministry of
Economic Affairs– General vs detailed information– Support via ´message box´ in PSC
Problems: – Connect local CCI´s or CCI NL?– Technique for delivering information
(cooperating catalogues or other)– Language
Competentauthority
ServiceProvider/ business customer
Answer for companies portal
(www.antwoordvoorbedrijven.nl)
Encrypted message box
Message box
Service
Provider
Message box
Competent
authority Notification
emailNotification
Unsecured email messages
Secured messages
´Answer for companies´ portal (2)
• Online registration– All ´enterprises´ – Also from The Netherlands– Facilitator model (no case handling)– ´message box´ in PSC (low security)
Problem: Identification / authentication by CCI´s
Solution: Link to web application ´self service enterprises´ CCI´sUse electronic qualified signatureElectronic confirmation via message box
Registration process (2 scenario´s)
CCI-site
Message box
CCI
Self Service Enterprises-application
Routing to one of the CCI´s
CCI´s
Registrationby competent CCI
AvB-site
Message box enterpreneur
Internet flow
Confirmation message to enterprise
Traditional registration form
Fysical mailbox
Paper flow
B1
B2
A1
A2 A3 A4
A5/ B3
A6/ B4
A7/ B5
´Answer for companies´ portal (3)
• Online registration:
Problem: Electronic signatures from other MSSolution: Support Ministry of Interior
Problem: No electronic signatures for SME´sSolution: Free signatures (Program E-Recognition
Enterprises)
Problem: LanguageSolution: Dutch (maybe English)
IMI and the Dutch CCI´s (1)
• Internal Market information system (IMI)• Ministry of Economic Affairs responsible for implementation• CCI´s must connect (preferably in pre phase)
Problems:– Connect all CCI´s or CCI NL?– Questionnaires EC
• Manual (workload; mistakes)• Translation of answers
– For free?• Art. 28.7 and 28.6 EU-Directive• Financing principle: user of information pays
– Information or verification?– Relation with new Dutch system of base registers
IMI and the Dutch CCI´s (2)
• Solution: – Information via EBR / registers, Verification via IMI– Authorities and IMI refer to EBR / registers as primary source
• Advantages:– Fixed format, Automated process / translation– Clear difference between information and verification– Clear difference between non free and free information(No tension with basic principle: user pays for information)
• Problems / challenges:– EBR needs all EU official company registers– EBR is not an EU institute
Questions?
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