Services point of single contact is open
Service businesses’ transactions with competent authorities will be simplified in all European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) Member States by the end of 2009.
Answers to the following questions, among others, are available on a comprehensive basis from a single location:
- Which licences and notifications are required?
- Which competent authority should be contacted in order to apply for a licence?
- Are the licences subject to a fee and what kinds of deadlines apply?
- How do you interact with the authorities through e-services?
- Which acts and decrees apply in your sector?
- What do you need to know when establishing, for instance, a restaurant or a shop?
- Where should you turn for advice and further information?
The EU Services Directive obliges all EU and EEA countries to set up a so-called point of single contact through which information is available on licences, notifications and regulations applicable to service businesses. The aim of these measures is to facilitate the establishment of a service business in another country and the cross-border provision of services.
In Finland, a new section of the Enterprise Finland online service portal will act as the point of single contact at which all information essential to establishing and running a business in the service sectors in Finland will be pooled. A telephone service by Enterprise Finland will support the online service. Actual transactions will still be conducted with the appropriate competent authorities. Furthermore, the online service will provide access to other EU/EEA member states’ points of single contact. These points of contact will provide information, required by enterprises considering the export of services, on the systems of the EU countries in question.
Initially, the point of single contact for service businesses will be available in Finnish and during January 2010 the service will expand to provide identical services in Swedish and English. The websites offer comprehensive industry-specific information to the service sector, contact details of advisory organisations and the electronic services of authorities linked to the online service, such as forms.
The Services Directive was adopted in December 2006 during Finland’s EU Presidency and must be implemented by 28 December 2009.
Further information on the national implementation of the Services Directive:
Ministry of Employment and the Economy
www.tem.fi > Ajankohtaista > Vireillä> Lainsäädäntöhankkeita > Palveludirektiivin täytäntöönpano (in Finnish)
Special section's direct address for service businesses in the Enterprise Finland portal is:
www.yrityssuomi.fi/services
More information:
Mr Antti Riivari, MEE, tel. +358 10 606 3742, firstname.lastname(at)tem.fi
Ms Marjaana Aarnikka MEE, tel. +358 10 606 2122, firstname.lastname(at)tem.fi
Mr Tommi Simon, SME Foundation, tel. +358 40 549 3734 firstname.lastname(at)pkt.fi