If you want to
- explore business opportunities or expand your services to another EU country
- set up a new business abroad
- find out about the rules and formalities that apply
- complete the administrative procedures online
Then the Points of Single Contact are for you. You will find them through the Assistance Service Finder on the Your Europe portal.
PSCs provide national information to help you deal with a wide range of practical issues, including
- licences, notifications or permits needed to start a business
- requirements for offering services on a temporary basis
- recognition of professional qualifications and regulated professions
- labour and social laws
- public procurement rules
They also give information on procedures and make them available online, such as
- how to submit an application
- which organisation is responsible for dealing with applications
- the cost of applying
- how long it takes to get a reply
Certain tax and social security procedures listed in Annex II of the Single Digital Gateway Regulation must also be available online, and findable through the Your Europe portal.
Background
The EU Services Directive establishes PSCs for entrepreneurs active in the services sector.
Since December 2009 it is a legal requirement to have a PSC in every EU country. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway have set up PSCs on a voluntary basis.
Since 2014, the PSC charter has encouraged EU countries to make their PSCs more business-friendly by introducing guidelines on
- the quality and availability of information provided
- completing electronic procedures
- accessibility for cross-border users
- usability
In addition, the communication on implementing the Services Directive calls for EU countries to develop PSCs that
- cover all procedures during the business life cycle
- are multilingual
- are more user-friendly
The PSCs are also one of the assistance services that form part of the Single Digital Gateway. This portal helps Europeans navigate the Single Market through online information and a range of e-government services. Your Europe is the public interface of the Single Digital Gateway.