The European Commission has announced that it will be bringing a case against France before the European Court of Justice (CJEU). This action is based on the Commission’s finding that France’s national regulations concerning veterinary practices and veterinarians violate the rules on the freedom of establishment and the free provision of services, as stipulated in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and the Services Directive.
According to the Brussels authorities, French regulations require that the majority of shares in a veterinary practice must be held by practicing veterinarians. Furthermore, participating veterinarians are obliged to be present at least part-time at every one of their practices. The EU Commission states that these specific rules considerably limit the number of veterinary practices that a single vet or a practice chain is able to operate. Additionally, the rules impede the free movement of services, as they restrict the ability of veterinarians operating in other member states to offer their services temporarily or occasionally in France.
The Commission had previously initiated an infringement procedure against France in April 2024 and subsequently delivered a reasoned opinion in June 2025. Because the attempts by French authorities to remedy the violations were considered inadequate, the Commission is now escalating the matter by filing a direct lawsuit.
