Chapter 3: Right of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services

Right of establishment and freedom to provide services constitutes one of the EU four fundamental rights. It ensures the the right of establishment of EU nationals and legal persons in any Member State and the freedom to provide cross-border services, subject to very limited exceptions. It covers industrial, craftwork and commercial activities, including activities pursued by self-employed persons. The acquis under this chapter also harmonises the rules concerning regulated professions to ensure the mutual recognition of qualifications and diplomas between Member States; for certain regulated professions a common minimum training curriculum must be followed in order to have the qualification automatically recognised in another EU Member State. As regards postal services, the acquis also aims at opening the postal services sector to competition in a gradual and controlled way, within a regulatory framework which assures a universal service.