Ireland is among a dozen member states subject to legal action taken today by Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy for failing to implement competition laws.
Mr McCreevy said failure to introduce the laws denied people and businesses the full benefit of a single market from measures the governments have themselves agreed.
"The Commission will do all it can to help member states implement laws on time but will continue to take remedial action where necessary," McCreevy said in a statement.
The Commission referred the 12 countries to the European Court of Justice under the following headings:
- Slovenia and Britain for failing to introduce laws on activities and supervision of institutions that supervise occupational pensions
- Portugal for not introducing laws on the reorganisation and winding up of credit institutions
- Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Britain for not introducing rules ensuring graphic artists received royalties
- Britain for not introducing rules on the recognition of professional qualifications from Gibraltar
- Luxembourg for not introducing EU accounting rules
- Austria for failing to implement properly EU rules on transparency in financial relations between member states and public services