THE BOLKESTEIN DIRECTIVE: NEWS 'FOR LICENSES AND SELLERS WALKING 

Incoming news for Italian merchants: from January 2017 will come into force of the reform based on the much-discussed Bolkestein Directive (Dir. 2006/123 / EC). 

WHAT DOES THE BOLKESTEIN DIRECTIVE  

The Bolkestein Directive, transposed by the Italian Government in 2010 with Legislative Decree n. 59/2010, takes its name from the Dutch Frits Bolkestein, former European Commissioner for Competition and the Internal Market, and concerns the freedom of establishment and movement of service providers within the European territory. Put simply, its goal is to enable any citizen of EU to propose its activities in all countries of the European Community, by simplifying the administrative and bureaucratic procedures for its exercise and avoiding that there are differences of treatment on grounds of nationality of service provider. To achieve this goal the Bolkestein Directive essentially involves the creation of "one stop shops" through which you can fulfill all the necessary formalities, including the internet and the elimination of any discrimination based on nationality authorization. Natural consequence of the Directive is therefore the expiration of old licenses issued by local authorities, who will be reassigned to tender in accordance with appropriate principles of the new legislation. 

PROTEST TRADERS WALKING IN ITALY 

The object of the many protests of the Italian street vendors is not only the expansion of the market also in respect of other Community States citizens, but especially the art. 70 of Legislative Decree 59/10, which provides the opportunity for capital Eligibility to apply for the allocation of licenses for companies. The concessions granted over the years by local authorities will be referred to notice by May 2017, and traders fear that the new provisions create an "excess competition" that penalizes small businesses, especially those family members, as has already happened with the advent of large retailers in the food sector. But it seems that this possibility could be limited by the possibility for individual local authorities to provide for a maximum number of parking spaces within the markets to be assigned to each legal entity.