{ "attribution": { "source": "legal.exploreworldai.com", "canonical": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-358-98", "cite_as": "NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=eu:c-358-98)", "license": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision", "version": "legal-2026-10-13", "fingerprint": "ewai:eu:a03983", "proof": "sha256:d16dec8c35682666b2f1c7ce24e16a2bf9ceb74bef5d5e6814d7b4c50f15afa5", "jurisdiction": "eu", "lang": "en", "publisher": "NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal", "terms": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om" }, "brand_source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "item": { "schema_version": "1.0.0", "id": "eu:c-358-98", "jurisdiction": "eu", "lang": "en", "brand_source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "brand": { "product": "NovaCopilot", "platform": "ExploreWorldAI", "infrastructure": "ExploreWorld Legal", "infrastructure_url": "legal.exploreworldai.com", "legal_entity": "Valkiv Ventures AB", "permanent_url": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/novacopilot", "source": "Source: NovaCopilot", "powered_by": "Powered by NovaCopilot", "license": "https://legal.exploreworldai.com/licensvillkor" }, "sections": [ { "title": "Front matter", "paragraphs": [ "para_1", "para_2", "para_3", "para_4", "para_5", "para_6" ], "kind": "front_matter" }, { "title": "Summary", "paragraphs": [ "para_7", "para_8", "para_9", "para_10", "para_11", "para_12", "para_13", "para_14", "para_15", "para_16" ], "kind": "summary" }, { "title": "Summary", "paragraphs": [ "para_17", "para_18", "para_19", "para_20", "para_21", "para_22", "para_23", "para_24", "para_25", "para_26", "para_27", "para_28", "para_29", "para_30", "para_31", "para_32", "para_33", "para_34", "para_35", "para_36" ], "kind": "summary" }, { "title": "Judgment", "paragraphs": [ "para_37" ], "kind": "assessment" }, { "title": "Grounds", "paragraphs": [ "para_38", "para_39" ], "kind": "assessment" }, { "title": "The national legislation", "paragraphs": [ "para_40", "para_41", "para_42", "para_43", "para_44", "para_45", "para_46", "para_47", "para_48", "para_49", "para_50" ], "kind": "legal_framework" }, { "title": "Pre-litigation procedure", "paragraphs": [ "para_51", "para_52", "para_53", "para_54" ], "kind": "legal_framework" }, { "title": "Substance", "paragraphs": [ "para_55", "para_56", "para_57", "para_58", "para_59", "para_60", "para_61", "para_62", "para_63", "para_64", "para_65" ], "kind": "legal_framework" }, { "title": "Costs", "paragraphs": [ "para_66", "para_67", "para_68" ], "kind": "costs" }, { "title": "On those grounds,", "paragraphs": [ "para_69", "para_70", "para_71", "para_72", "para_73" ], "kind": "operative" } ], "paragraphs": [ { "text": "EUR-Lex - 61998J0358 - EN", "paragraph_id": "para_1" }, { "text": "Avis juridique important", "paragraph_id": "para_2" }, { "text": "|", "paragraph_id": "para_3" }, { "text": "61998J0358", "paragraph_id": "para_4" }, { "text": "Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 9 March 2000. - Commission of the European Communities v Italian Republic. - Failure by a Member State to fulfil its obligations - Provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation services - Undertakings established in other Member States - Obligation to register. - Case C-358/98.", "paragraph_id": "para_5" }, { "text": "European Court reports 2000 Page I-01255", "paragraph_id": "para_6" }, { "text": "Summary", "paragraph_id": "para_7" }, { "text": "Parties", "paragraph_id": "para_8" }, { "text": "Grounds", "paragraph_id": "para_9" }, { "text": "Decision on costs", "paragraph_id": "para_10" }, { "text": "Operative part", "paragraph_id": "para_11" }, { "text": "Keywords", "paragraph_id": "para_12" }, { "text": "1. Member States - Obligations - Failure to fulfil obligations - Retention of a national provision incompatible with Community law - Justification on the basis of administrative practices ensuring that the Treaty is applied - Not permissible", "paragraph_id": "para_13" }, { "text": "(EC Treaty, Art. 169 (now Art. 226 EC))", "paragraph_id": "para_14" }, { "text": "2. Freedom to provide services - Restrictions - National legislation making cleansing undertakings established in other Member States subject to an obligation to register in the register of undertakings - Not permissible", "paragraph_id": "para_15" }, { "text": "(EC Treaty, Art. 59 (now, after amendment, Art. 49 EC))", "paragraph_id": "para_16" }, { "text": "Summary", "paragraph_id": "para_17" }, { "text": "1. The incompatibility of national legislation with Community provisions, even provisions which are directly applicable, can be finally remedied only by means of national provisions of a binding nature which have the same legal force as those which must be amended. Mere administrative practices, whi …", "paragraph_id": "para_18" }, { "text": "( see para. 17 )", "paragraph_id": "para_19" }, { "text": "2. A Member State which, pursuant to national legislation, makes the provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation services by undertakings established in other Member States subject to registration in the register of undertakings, without excluding from its sco …", "paragraph_id": "para_20" }, { "text": "( see paras 13,14 and 18 and operative part )", "paragraph_id": "para_21" }, { "text": "Parties", "paragraph_id": "para_22" }, { "text": "In Case C-358/98,", "paragraph_id": "para_23" }, { "text": "Commission of the European Communities, represented by E. Traversa and M. Patakia, of its Legal Service, acting as Agents, with an address for service in Luxembourg at the office of C. Gómez de la Cruz, also of its Legal Service, Wagner Centre, Kirchberg,", "paragraph_id": "para_24" }, { "text": "applicant,", "paragraph_id": "para_25" }, { "text": "v", "paragraph_id": "para_26" }, { "text": "Italian Republic, represented by Professor U. Leanza, Head of the Legal Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as Agent, assisted by O. Fiumara, Avvocato dello Stato, with an address for service in Luxembourg at the Italian Embassy, 5 Rue Marie-Adélaïde,", "paragraph_id": "para_27" }, { "text": "defendant,", "paragraph_id": "para_28" }, { "text": "APPLICATION for a declaration that, by making the provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation services by operators established in other Member States subject to registration in the registers referred to in Article 1 of Italian Law No 82 of 25 January 1994, in accordance with Articles 1 and 6 of that Law, the Italian Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 59 of the EC Treaty (now, after amendment, Article 49 EC),", "paragraph_id": "para_29" }, { "text": "THE COURT (Fourth Chamber),", "paragraph_id": "para_30" }, { "text": "composed of: D.A.O. Edward (Rapporteur), President of the Chamber, P.J.G. Kapteyn and H. Ragnemalm, Judges,", "paragraph_id": "para_31" }, { "text": "Advocate General: P. Léger,", "paragraph_id": "para_32" }, { "text": "Registrar: R. Grass,", "paragraph_id": "para_33" }, { "text": "having regard to the report of the Judge-Rapporteur,", "paragraph_id": "para_34" }, { "text": "after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 18 November 1999,", "paragraph_id": "para_35" }, { "text": "gives the following", "paragraph_id": "para_36" }, { "text": "Judgment", "paragraph_id": "para_37" }, { "text": "Grounds", "paragraph_id": "para_38" }, { "text": "1 By application lodged at the Court Registry on 2 October 1998, the Commission of the European Communities brought an action under Article 169 of the EC Treaty (now Article 226 EC) in which it sought a declaration that, by making the provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-cont …", "paragraph_id": "para_39" }, { "text": "The national legislation", "paragraph_id": "para_40" }, { "text": "2 Law No 82/94 covers cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation activities.", "paragraph_id": "para_41" }, { "text": "3 Paragraph (1) of Article 1 of Law No 82/94, entitled Registration of cleansing undertakings in the commercial register or the provincial register of small businesses, provides:", "paragraph_id": "para_42" }, { "text": "Undertakings engaged in cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation activities, hereinafter referred to as \"cleansing undertakings\", shall be registered in the commercial register provided for under the single text approved by Royal Decree No 2011 of 20 September 1934, as …", "paragraph_id": "para_43" }, { "text": "4 Failure to comply with that provision results in imposition of the penalties set out in Article 6 of Law No 82/94, entitled Penalties, paragraphs (2) to (5) of which provide:", "paragraph_id": "para_44" }, { "text": "2. In the case where the cleansing undertaking carries out the activities covered by this Law without being registered in the commercial register or the provincial register of small businesses, or if it carries out those activities despite suspension of its registration or after its registration has …", "paragraph_id": "para_45" }, { "text": "3. If the cleansing undertaking entrusts the performance of the activities covered by this Law to undertakings which are in a situation which could give rise to the penalties referred to in paragraph (2), the owner of the individual undertaking, the agent with control over the undertaking, one of it …", "paragraph_id": "para_46" }, { "text": "4. Any person concluding contracts relating to the performance of the activities covered by this Law with cleansing undertakings which are not registered in the commercial register or the provincial register of small businesses, which have been struck off those registers or whose registration has be …", "paragraph_id": "para_47" }, { "text": "5. Contracts concluded with cleansing undertakings which are not registered in the commercial register or the provincial register of small businesses, or which have been struck off those registers or whose registration has been suspended, shall be null and void.", "paragraph_id": "para_48" }, { "text": "5 Under Article 8 of Law No 580 of 29 December 1993 establishing a register of undertakings (GURI No 7 of 11 January 1994, ordinary supplement No 6, hereinafter Law No 580/93), the commercial register was incorporated in the new register of undertakings after a three-year period running from the ent …", "paragraph_id": "para_49" }, { "text": "6 Under Article 1(2) of Law No 82/94 and Article 18 of Law No 580/93, registration in the register of undertakings involves payment of an annual charge.", "paragraph_id": "para_50" }, { "text": "Pre-litigation procedure", "paragraph_id": "para_51" }, { "text": "7 By letter of 3 April 1995, the Commission indicated to the Italian Government why it considered that Articles 1 and 6 of Law No 82/94 were contrary to Article 59 of the Treaty and put it on formal notice to submit to it its observations within two months of receiving that letter.", "paragraph_id": "para_52" }, { "text": "8 Since it received no reply, the Commission delivered a reasoned opinion to the Italian Government on 12 March 1996, pursuant to the first paragraph of Article 169 of the Treaty, calling on it to adopt the necessary measures of compliance within two months of notification.", "paragraph_id": "para_53" }, { "text": "9 In the absence of any measures by the Italian Government to comply with that opinion, the Commission brought the present action.", "paragraph_id": "para_54" }, { "text": "Substance", "paragraph_id": "para_55" }, { "text": "10 At the outset, the Commission notes that, under Article 1 of Law No 82/94 in conjunction with Article 8 of Law No 580/93, all cleansing undertakings, irrespective of their form, are required to register in the new register of undertakings.", "paragraph_id": "para_56" }, { "text": "11 The Commission claims that the obligation to register in the register of undertakings and the severe penalties provided for in the event of non-compliance with that obligation are in clear infringement of Article 59 of the Treaty. By imposing penalties such as prison sentences and fines of up to …", "paragraph_id": "para_57" }, { "text": "12 The Commission takes the view that Law No 82/94 also introduces covert discrimination against undertakings established in the other Member States. This condition of registration has the practical effect of dissuading such undertakings from performing in Italy the cleansing activities covered by t …", "paragraph_id": "para_58" }, { "text": "13 It is accepted, and is not disputed by the Italian Government, that, by virtue of the general nature of its terms, Law No 82/94 is intended to apply to every provider of services, whether or not established in Italy, and irrespective of whether or not the provider offers its services in Italy on …", "paragraph_id": "para_59" }, { "text": "14 It has consistently been held that such national provisions do not comply with the requirements of Article 59 of the Treaty (see, in particular, the judgment of 23 November 1999 in Joined Cases C-369/96 and C-376/96 Arblade and Others [1999] ECR I-0000, paragraphs 33 to 35).", "paragraph_id": "para_60" }, { "text": "15 The Italian Government does, however, point out that national provisions are at present being drafted which will resolve the problems raised by the Commission. It adds that, Law No 82/94 as presently in force notwithstanding, cleansing undertakings established in other Member States may operate and do in fact operate in Italy without the need for them to be entered in the register of undertakings.", "paragraph_id": "para_61" }, { "text": "16 Suffice it to hold in this regard that even if, in practice, the authorities of a Member State do not apply to nationals of other Member States the national provisions which are at variance with Community law, that fact is not such as to remove the breach of Community law which those provisions represent.", "paragraph_id": "para_62" }, { "text": "17 The Court has consistently held that the incompatibility of national legislation with Community provisions, even provisions which are directly applicable, can be finally remedied only by means of national provisions of a binding nature which have the same legal force as those which must be amende …", "paragraph_id": "para_63" }, { "text": "18 It must accordingly be held that, by making the provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation services by operators established in other Member States subject to registration in the registers referred to in Article 1 of Law No 82/94, in accordance with Articles 1 and 6 of that Law, the Italian Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 59 of the Treaty.", "paragraph_id": "para_64" }, { "text": "Decision on costs", "paragraph_id": "para_65" }, { "text": "Costs", "paragraph_id": "para_66" }, { "text": "19 Under Article 69(2) of the Rules of Procedure, the unsuccessful party is to be ordered to pay the costs if they have been applied for in the successful party's pleadings. Since the Commission has applied for costs and the Italian Republic has been unsuccessful, the Italian Republic must be ordered to pay the costs.", "paragraph_id": "para_67" }, { "text": "Operative part", "paragraph_id": "para_68" }, { "text": "On those grounds,", "paragraph_id": "para_69" }, { "text": "THE COURT (Fourth Chamber),", "paragraph_id": "para_70" }, { "text": "hereby:", "paragraph_id": "para_71" }, { "text": "1. Declares that, by making the provision of cleansing, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent-control and sanitation services by operators established in other Member States subject to registration in the registers referred to in Article 1 of Italian Law No 82 of 25 January 1994, in accordance with Articles 1 and 6 of that Law, the Italian Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 59 of the EC Treaty (now, after amendment, Article 49 EC);", "paragraph_id": "para_72" }, { "text": "2. Orders the Italian Republic to pay the costs.", "paragraph_id": "para_73" } ], "operative_part": "THE COURT (Fourth Chamber),\n\nhereby:\n\n1. 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