Single Market: 20 years of SOLVIT network at the service of EU citizens and businesses resolve cross-border problems
Today, the Commission has published a report to mark 20 years of SOLVIT, the EU’s free service to help citizens and businesses that are facing problems with the application of Single Market rules. Over the last 20 years, the network has dealt with close to 29 000 cases involving Single Market rights. 85% of cases have been solved directly. Some of the most common problems tackled by SOLVIT concern the recognition of professional qualifications, visa and residence rights or support to obtaining driving licences, pension rights and accessing healthcare across borders. SOLVIT regularly helps companies to benefit from the Single Market, for example in relation to questions concerning posting of workers, road transport, VAT reimbursement or when providing a service or marketing goods. SOLVIT was set up in 2002 as a network of national centres in all EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries. The network is an example of a solid partnership between Member States and the Commission. The national SOLVIT centres tackle practical problems that arise when public authorities do not apply EU rules correctly and aim to mediate and resolve them on behalf of the citizen or business. The Commission supports SOLVIT with the provision of a single IT framework, assistance with case-handling, training and expert input in some cases. When national SOLVIT centres face entrenched problems where public authorities aren’t complying with EU law, they can refer these for action to the Commission. The full report on the 20 years of the SOLVIT service is now available online.