Opinion of the Advocate General — ECLI:EU:C:1997:4
Date: 1997-01-09
Based on: Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
Subject matter: Right of establishment;Freedom to provide services;Free movement of workers
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling
Origin: Greece

Summary of the J u d g m e n t 
Freedom of movement for persons — Workers — Freedom of establishment — Recognition of 
higher-education diplomas awarded on completion of professional education and training of at 
least three years' duration — Directive 89/48 — Not applicable in a situation purely internal to 
a Member State 
(Council Directive 89/48) 
I - 4239 
SUMMARY — JOINED CASES C-225/95, C-226/95 AND C-227/95 
The Treaty rules governing freedom of 
movement for persons and acts adopted to 
implement them cannot be applied to activi­
ties which have no factor linking them with 
any of the situations governed by Commu­
nity law and which are confined in all 
respects within a single Member State. 
It follows that persons who have neither 
worked nor studied nor obtained a diploma 
on completion of university or professional 
education in a Member State of the Commu­
nity other than their country of origin may 
not rely on the rights conferred by Directive 
89/48 on a general system for the recognition 
of higher-education diplomas awarded on 
completion of professional education and 
training of at least three years' duration. 
I - 4240