{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-1977-249/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-1977-249/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudr/1977/249",
  "legislation_title": "Council Directive of 22 March 1977 to facilitate the effective exercise by lawyers of freedom to provide services (77/249/EEC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-1977-249",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Directive\nof 22 March 1977\nto facilitate the effective exercise by lawyers of freedom to provide services\n(77/249/EEC)\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,\nHaving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Articles 57 and 66 thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the Commission,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,\nWhereas, pursuant to the Treaty, any restriction on the provision of services which is based on nationality or on conditions of residence has been prohibited since the end of the transitional period;\nWhereas this Directive deals only with measures to facilitate the effective pursuit of the activities of lawyers by way of provision of services; whereas more detailed measures will be necessary to facilitate the effective exercise of the right of establishment;\nWhereas if lawyers are to exercise effectively the freedom to provide services host Member States must recognize as lawyers those persons practising the profession in the various Member States;\nWhereas, since this Directive solely concerns provision of services and does not contain provisions on the mutual recognition of diplomas, a person to whom the Directive applies must adopt the professional title used in the Member State in which he is established, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Member State from which he comes’,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ No C 103, 5.10.1972, p. 19 and OJ No C 53, 8.3.1976, p. 33."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "OJ No C 36, 28.3.1970, p. 37 and OJ No C .SO, 4.3.1976, p. 17."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/1977/249/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:23:45.113874+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}