30.12.2006   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/11


Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 14 December 2006 — Commission of the European Communities v Republic of Austria

(Case C-257/05) (1)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Infringement of Article 49 EC - Freedom to provide services - Obligation of establishment within the national territory in order to be able to provide an inspection service for boilers and pressure tanks (‘Kesselprüfstelle’))

(2006/C 331/18)

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicant: Commission of the European Communities (represented by: E. Traversa and W. Bogensberger, Agents)

Defendant: Republic of Austria (represented by: E. Riedl, Agent)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil its obligations — Infringement of Article 49 EC — Freedom to provide services — Obligations laid down by national legislation to have the seat of the undertaking or an establishment within the national territory in order to be able to provide an inspection service for boilers and pressure tanks (‘Kesselprüfstelle’)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Declares that, by providing in Paragraph 21(4) of the Federal law on the security measures for steam or other vapour generating boilers, pressure vessels, containers and pipes [Bundesgesetz über Sicherheitsmaßnahmen für Dampfkessel, Druckbehälter, Versandbehälter und Rohrleitungen (Kesselgesetz)] that only applicants established in Austria may be approved as boiler inspection bodies, the Republic of Austria has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 49 EC;

2.

Orders the Republic of Austriato pay the costs.


(1)  OJ C 217, 3.9.2005.