42. Considers that the service economy has become the most quantitatively important economic sector in the OECD economies and that increased trade and availability of services will increase economic growth and facilitates business growth and development, improving the performance of other industries, as services provide key intermediate inputs especially in an increasingly interlinked globalised world;

Services make the greatest contribution to Europe's GDP.

if the service provider furnishes proof that, during the period of validity of the card and for at least three months after its expiry, he

if the service provider furnishes proof that there is nothing in the relevant legislation implementing Directive 64/221/EEC in the Member State in which the service is provided to prevent the worker from pursuing an activity there, and

Retailers of goods and services also obtain a new outlet for their products.

II. RECOGNIZING THAT - the development of small and medium-sized enterprises is of great importance for the competitiveness of the European economy, regional development and economic cohesion in the European Union, - small and medium-sized enterprises, including the various service activities, make an important contribution to growth and the creation of jobs, - the strengths of small and medium-sized enterprises lie in their flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances, - this adaptability and flexibility is hampered by both internal (particularly financial and managerial) and external (particularly legal and administrative) h ...[+++]urdles, - a simple, logical and coherent legal framework would accordingly be essential to such enterprises, CONSIDERING that local development initiatives offer considerable potential for strengthening the economic and social fabric of the European Union and for creating employment, AWARE that both measures to create a legislative and administrative environment favourable to the development of enterprise and effective, high-profile support measures are essentially the responsibility of the Member States, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity set out in Article 3b of the Treaty establishing the European Community, EMPHASIZES that it is a priority concern of enterprise policy in the Community, as mentioned in the multiannual programme, to improve the legislative and administrative environment for enterprises, to intensify and improve the Community's provision of information to enterprises, to promote cooperation and partnership between small and medium-sized enterprises and to ensure the promotion and coordination of Community instruments, IS ACCORDINGLY CONVINCED that the Community's policy in favour of small and medium-sized enterprises should be put into practice and made more effective through a new and extended partnership between the Member States and the Community, and through efficient and regular consultation of th ...