Irish anti-competition law
31.1.2014
Question for written answer P-001047-14
to the Commission
Rule 117
Gerard Batten (EFD)
I raise a question on behalf of Mr Christophe Krief, a French citizen who is resident in Dublin. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), which is based in London. The Institute has been recognised in the Republic of Ireland since the 1980s.
Mr Krief has written to me about the Irish Building Control Act 2007 (Sections 21, 22, 50), and the new Building Control Regulations 2013, which come into force in March 2014. Mr Krief says that these regulations are in breach of EU directives on competition, freedom of establishment and the free movement of workers. The finding of the European Ombudsman is that the Building Control Act 2007 is in breach of European law (complaint reference 0503/2012/R).
The Building Control Regulations 2013 stipulate that only three groups of professionals are authorised to design and certify compliance with building regulations, with the CIAT having been excluded from the list for no reason. The CIAT has submitted a complaint to the Commission, and Mr Krief has also submitted his own complaint (reference CHAP(2013)03587).
If the new regulations come into force in March 2014, Mr Krief will be prevented from working in Ireland. He believes that these laws are in contradiction with EU directives.
Therefore, I ask the following:
- 1.What is the Commission doing to enforce the finding of the European Ombudsman regarding its decision on the Irish Building Control Act 2007?
- 2.What is the Commission’s view on the complaints by the CIAT and Mr Krief that the Building Control Regulations 2013 are in violation of EU directives on competition and the free movement of workers?
Personally, I don’t want any EU ‘law’, but the Republic of Ireland is an enthusiastic proponent of economic and political union and I would expect the country to obey EC law.
OJ C 353, 07/10/2014