UK government says EU directive on services excludes health care

The extent to which private healthcare providers in one European Union country will be able to offer their services in another is now mired in confusion, after a vote in favour of liberalisation of services in the European parliament. An amendment said that healthcare services were excluded from the liberalisation.

The uncertainty emerged after a large majority of members of the European parliament (MEPs) last week backed wide ranging moves to open up the services market across the EU. The parliament then seems to have approved a number of contradictory statements.

Firstly, an amendment approved by the parliament made it clear that the …