Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Premessa. – 2. La disciplina comunitaria della professione forense. – 3. Segue: le direttive sulla libera circolazione degli avvocati. – 4. Il divieto di stabilire in Italia un’infrastruttura per l’esercizio della professione forense in regime di libera prestazione di servizi. – 5. Obbligo di residenza e domicilio professionale. – 6. L’abrogazione di requisiti imposti all’avvocato per l’accesso alla professione forense. – 7. Trasposizione incompleta della dir. CEE 89/48. – 8. Considerazioni conclusive.

Abstract

This article is concerned whit the topic of the free movement of Lawyers within the European Union. Specifically, the piece deals with the most salient aspects of a recent judgement of the European court of Justice which ruled that Italy’s legislation governing the legal profession violates EC law with reference to the right of establishment and the freedom to provide services. The judgement represents a long awaited condemnation of Italy, given that Italy had long been aware of the need to make its rules governing the legal profession compliant with Community provisions concerning the free movement of lawyers. In particular, it is pointed out how a “Eurolawyer model” has gradually emerged within the Community context and how this has brought on the need for Member States to deregulate or re-regulate the national rules and eliminate all unjustified limitations. On this note, the article also deals with certain provisions of national legislation implementing Directive EC 98/5 which, thought not subject to the review of the Court of Justice, could lead to a further condemnation of Italy for breach of Community rules governing the right of establishment.