Press Release: Italian legislation requiring certification bodies to have their registered office in Italy is contrary to EU law

Report of the judgment in ECJ Case C-593/13 Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri and Others v Rina Services SpA and Others given on the 16 June 2015.

The Services Directive prohibits Member States from making the exercise of a service activity in their territory subject to compliance with any discriminatory requirements based on nationality or the location of the registered office and from restricting the freedom of a provider to choose between a principal or a secondary establishment in the territory of a Member State.

The Court finds that the Services Directive does not permit national legislation under which such bodies must have their registered office in national territory.