The European Commission on Monday launched infringement proceedings against Cyprus after failing to correctly transpose an EU directive for four years.

In a statement, the commission said both Cyprus and Bulgaria were being referred to the EU Court of Justice for “failing to ensure the correct transposition of the Proportionality Test Directive.”

The directive makes it mandatory for EU member states to assess “the proportionality of any new national regulations of professions. It also seeks to prevent unnecessarily restrictive regulation of professions from coming into effect.”

All member states were obliged to transpose the directive into national law by July 30, 2020.
Cyprus failed to ensure that all measures covered by the directive, particularly those initiated by professional bodies or parliament, undergo a prior proportionality assessment, according to the commission.

Additionally, “Cyprus incorrectly implemented several proportionality assessment criteria laid down in the directive and failed to ensure appropriate provision of information and involvement of stakeholders.”

“The Commission considers that efforts by the authorities have, to date, been insufficient and is therefore referring Bulgaria and Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the European Union.”