Press Release: Free movement of goods: Commission requests France to remove barriers to trade in plant phytosanitary products

The European Commission decided ON 24 June 2010 to request France to remove barriers to trade in plant phytosanitary products by repealing a decree adopted without having been first notified to the Commission. The decree on plant phytosanitary products, adopted on 6 October 2004 should have been notified to the Commission before adoption under Directive 98/34/EC. This Directive requires Member States to notify all draft technical regulations concerning products and Information Society Services before they are adopted in Member States’ national law, so that the Commission can verify that they would not give rise to disproportionate barriers to trade within the EU's Single Market. France now has two months to respond to the request, which takes the form of a 'reasoned opinion' under EU infringement procedures. In the absence of a satisfactory response from France, the Commission may refer the matter to the EU's Court of Justice.