Free Movement of Legal Professionals Within the European Union
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Una Særún Jóhannsdóttir Free Movement of Legal Professionals within the European Union -Master´s Thesis in Law - Supervisor: Dr. M. Elvira Méndez-Pinedo University of Iceland – Faculty of Law September 2009 Una Særún Jóhannsdóttir Free Movement of Legal Professionals within the European Union -Master’s Thesis in Law - Supervisor: Dr. M. Elvira Méndez-Pinedo University of Iceland – Faculty of Law September 2009 Prologue Being, myself, a law student living and studying in another country than where I pursued my law studies I have often wondered how I can transform my purely Icelandic legal diploma into a more international legal diploma. This is a difficult situation and problems arise. My knowledge is mainly based on Icelandic law, with a basic course in European law and Public International law. Furthermore, the legal profession is a highly regulated one and it has different requirements for entrance between States. In my year as an exchange student at Stockholm University I became accidently fascinated with European Union law. A basic course in EC Procedural Law took me all the way to competing in the European Law Moot Court Competition on behalf of the University. After that there was no turning back for me. With little background knowledge in the field I found it necessary to read and independently get to know EC Law. I found myself repeatedly coming across case law from the European Court of Justice concerning lawyers that were met with hindrances to their right to free movement. Hindrances to practice their legal skills in other Member States, even though the EC Treaty guarantees for all the possibility to move around and work within the Community. Now, almost a year later, I have written a thesis on the possibilities for European lawyers to move around within the Union. I will at least know what to expect if I ever wish to exercise my right to free movement within the Union. During the writing of this thesis I was very lucky to have as my instructor Dr. Maria Elvira Mendez-Pinedo. She not only guided me on the subject but more importantly helped me realizing how, at least try, to do a proper research and how to not lose my voice in the complexity of EU law. For that I am deeply thankful. I have come a long way from where I started a few months ago. I would never be where I am today if it were not for my family which is there to support me always. Special thanks to my mother for all the help and strong thoughts. Very special thanks to Ögmundur and Sverrir. You guys have been extremely patient with me in the last months and I know that it is not always easy. I am one lucky woman to have you in my life! Stockholm, 4 September 2009 Una Særún Jóhannsdóttir Table of Contents Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................. 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.1. The Nature of the Legal Profession ......................................................................... 3 1.2. Purpose and Structure .............................................................................................. 5 2. The Right of Establishment and the Freedom to Provide Services for Legal Professionals .. 7 2.1. The Difference between the Right of Establishment and the Freedom to Provide Services .................................................................................................................... 7 2.2. The Freedom of Establishment .............................................................................. 11 2.3. The Freedom to Provide Services .......................................................................... 14 2.4. Treaty Derogations from the Right of Establishment and the Right to Provide Services .................................................................................................................. 17 2.5. Direct Effect ........................................................................................................... 18 2.6. Prohibition on Restriction to the Freedom of Establishment and Freedom to Provide Services ..................................................................................................... 20 2.6.1. Directly Discriminatory Measures .................................................................. 20 2.6.2. Indirectly Discriminatory Measures ............................................................... 21 2.6.3. Non-Discriminatory Restrictions .................................................................... 23 2.7. Concluding Comments ........................................................................................... 29 3. Regulating Lawyers Freedom to Provide Services .............................................................. 31 3.1. General ................................................................................................................... 32 3.2. Reservations and Requirements ............................................................................. 33 3.3. Applicable Rules of Conduct ................................................................................. 38 3.3.1. The CCBE Code of Conduct for European Lawyers ..................................... 40 3.4. Concluding Comments ........................................................................................... 42 4. The Mutual Recognition of Legal Professional Qualifications ............................................ 44 4.1. Recognition of Qualifications in the Absence of Applicable Secondary Legislation ................................................................................................................................ 44 4.2. The First Vertical Harmonization Directives on Mutual Recognition of Qualifications ......................................................................................................... 51 4.2.1. Compensatory Measures ................................................................................. 53 4.3. Directive 2005/36 on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications .................. 54 4.3.1. Freedom to Provide Services .......................................................................... 56 4.3.2. Freedom of Establishment .............................................................................. 57 4.3.2.1. The General System for Recognition of Professional Qualifications............................57 4.3.2.2. Compensatory Measures................................................................................................59 4.3.2.3. Common Provisions on Establishment..........................................................................62 4.3.2.4. Administrative Cooperation...........................................................................................63 4.4. Concluding Comments ........................................................................................... 64 5. Regulating Lawyers Freedom of Establishment .................................................................. 66 5.1. Debate on Lawyers Right to Establishment and Events leading up to the Adoption of an Establishment Directive ................................................................................ 67 5.2. The Lawyers Establishment Directive ................................................................... 70 5.2.1. Practice Under Home-State Professional Title ............................................... 71 5.2.1.1. Registration....................................................................................................................72 5.2.1.2. Cooperation Duty between the National Competent Authorities..................................75 5.2.1.3. Area of Activity.............................................................................................................77 5.2.1.4. Exceptions......................................................................................................................78 5.2.1.5. Rules of Professional Conduct and Disciplinary Proceedings.......................................81 5.2.2. Admission to the Legal Profession in the Host Member State ....................... 83 5.2.3. Salaried Lawyers ............................................................................................ 87 5.2.4. Joint Practices and Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships ...................................... 88 5.3. Special Comment on the Case C-168/98, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg v. European Parliament and Council of the European Union .................................... 93 5.3.1. The Court´s Judgment .................................................................................... 93 5.3.2. The Advocate General´s Opinion ................................................................... 96 5.3.3. Comments ....................................................................................................... 99 5.4. Concluding Comments ......................................................................................... 100 6. The Implementation of the Lawyers Free Movement System in Iceland and Sweden ...... 102 6.1. Iceland .................................................................................................................. 103 6.2. Sweden ................................................................................................................. 106 7. Conclusion .........................................................................................................................