European Commission Ruling
Friday marks the end of the two month deadline that came with the stage two ‘reasoned opinion’ issued by the European Commission on March 21st 2007, requesting the countries of Denmark, Finland and Hungary to modify their current restrictive online gambling positions.
If the countries do not become compatible with higher level EU laws that permit companies licensed anywhere in the EU to freely move goods and services across EU state borders ,then the European Commission could move onto stage three, where the countries can face possible litigation in the European Court of Justice.
But a report from Swedish economic journal, Veckans Affarer, suggests that the Swedish finance ministry, Mr Borg, is working on a licensing and taxation regime so tough that it would deter all but the most determined foreign competitors.