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High level representatives of EU Member States and institutions, European and national business associations and European regions convened, on 4th February 2010, to share and discuss their experience with establishing the network of Points of Single Contact (PSCs). The PSCs are created on the basis of the EU's Services Directive, which came into force at the end of last year, with the aim of providing a "one-stop-shop" for individuals and businesses offering services in their member state as well as across the EU.

„Especially in hard times for our economies, the State must provide most favourable conditions for entrepreneurship and facilitate business opportunities. Points of Single Contact are excellent example of that," said the Czech Permanent Representative to the EU Milena Vicenová in her opening address.

The Deputy Permanent Representative, Jana Reinišová, stressed the crucial importance of EU's internal market. "Without the internal market, European integration would be difficult in other areas. And the Service Directive is one of the most important tools for the internal market," she said.

Discussion was based on the experience of the Czech Republic, Germany, France, United Kingdom and the Netherlands, as well as on recommendations stressed out by the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, BUSINESSEUROPE and EUROCHAMBRES.

In the Czech Republic, the PSCs are based on a well established infrastructure of fifteen Trade Licence Offices in all the regions, and on a popular portal for entrepreneurs BusinessInfo.cz.
"The biggest challenge will be to keep most up-to-date information and qualified staff," said Martin Tlapa, the Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. "The Czech business community highlighted three crucial conditions in the implementation - ambitious approach, transparency and business involvement. All of them were fulfilled by the Czech government," said Vladimíra Drbalová from The Czech Confederation of Industry.

Germany was challenged by the implementation of the Services Directive itself as well as by the division of power among the federal, Bundesland and local levels, stressed Guido Peruzzo, German Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU. Germany used existing infrastructure and let the Bundeslaendern the choice of finding the most efficient PSCs (Ministries, Chambers or Municipalities). France took a similar approach of combining a network of physical PSCs (1800 Centres for Business Formalities in France) and internet portal Guichet-Entreprises.fr providing information for setting up a business and applying for authorisations.

Representatives of European business community stressed the importance of PSCs as the "real face" of the Services Directive. They also expressed their worries that a high number of Member States still has not completed a proper implementation of the Services Directive. BUSINESSEUROPE recommended, through Carlos Almaraz, to use to the fullest the advantages of virtual PSCs and on-line tools. Giovanni Campi of EUROCHAMBRES called for a broader use of English by the PSCs.

Maria Martin Prat from the European Commission underlined the great benefits that a proper implementation of the Directive will bring to the Member States.

The event was organised by the Czech Permanent Representation to the EU, the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, and CEBRE - Czech Business Representation to the EU.

Presentations of participants (Powerpoint):

• Martin Tlapa, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
• Guido Peruzzo, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the EU
• Philippe Leglise-Costa, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the EU
• Andy Lebrecht, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the EU
• Marc Hameleers, Project Director Implementation Services Directive, Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands
• Carlos Almaraz, BUSINESSEUROPE
• Giovanni Campi, EUROCHAMBRES

The Programme and list of participants is available here.