Bolkestein Directive

The Bolkestein directive or Services Directive, officially Services in the Internal Market Directive 2006/123/EC, is a European Union law aiming at establishing a single market for services within the European Union (EU). Drafted under the leadership of the former European Commissioner for Internal Market Frits Bolkestein, it has been popularly referred to by his name. It was seen as an important kick-start to the Lisbon Agenda which, launched in 2000, was an agreed strategy to make the EU "the world's most dynamic and competitive economy" by 2010.