EU-Recht im Ausland klären

If you are an EU citizen or a company in another country and face additional obstacles because an authority does not comply with EU law, SOLVIT can help.

If you are an EU citizen or a company in another country and you face additional obstacles because an authority does not comply with EU law, SOLVIT can help you.

SOLVIT is a network where EU member states work together to help you solve problems in a pragmatic way. The problems must have arisen in a specific individual case due to the incorrect application of EU law by an authority in another EU state.
Examples of cases where SOLVIT can help:

• Recognition of your professional qualifications
• Visas and residence rights
• Trade and services (companies)
• Vehicles and driving licenses
• Family benefits
• Pensions
• Work abroad
• Unemployment benefits
• Health insurance
• access to education
• cross-border capital movements and payments
• VAT refund

In order to solve your problem as quickly as possible, SOLVIT makes use of informal legal information provided by experts from Member State administrations and the European Commission.

SOLVIT is an alternative problem-solving mechanism. Proposed solutions are not binding on you and cannot be challenged. If your problem is not resolved, or if you find the proposed solution unacceptable, you can still initiate a formal procedure.
Please note that a complaint to SOLVIT is informal in nature and does not replace or formally interfere with a procedure already underway. In particular, you remain responsible in any case for compliance with possible deadlines for appeals and complaints in an already ongoing administrative procedure.
SOLVIT can only take action if you have not yet taken your case to court.

Copies of any correspondence with the authority concerned and other relevant documents

• Your rights as an EU citizen or company have been violated by authorities in another EU country.
• You have not yet taken the case to court (if you have only filed an administrative complaint so far, SOLVIT can take action).

none

You can reach SOLVIT mainly via the Internet.
Report your concern by submitting your complaint to SOLVIT online.

• Alternatively, you can fill in the SOLVIT form and send it by e-mail or post to the German SOLVIT office.
• Please also attach copies of any correspondence with the authority concerned and any other relevant documents.
• Your case will be handled by 2 SOLVIT centres:
  • your local SOLVIT centre - home centre
  • the SOLVIT Centre in the country where the problem occurred - lead centre.
• Once you have submitted your problem to SOLVIT, the home office will proceed as follows:
  • It contacts you within one week and asks for further information, if necessary.
  • It checks whether your case falls within the remit of SOLVIT.
  • It compiles all the documents and forwards them to the lead office.
  • The home office will inform you regularly about the current status. However, do not hesitate to ask there if you want to know how your case is progressing.
• Once the lead office has received all the documents relating to your case, it proceeds as follows:
  • It confirms within a week whether or not it will take over the case.
  • It tries to find a solution together with the authority that is causing you difficulties.
  • The lead agency tries to solve problems within 10 weeks after taking over the case.

about 10 weeks

none

• Legal services based on special expertise Clarification
• When a public authority does not comply with EU law and this creates obstacles, SOLVIT can help
• SOLVIT is a network to help pragmatically with problems
• The problems must have arisen in a specific individual case due to the incorrect application of EU law by an authority of another EU country.
• Online request
• Help: within 10 days
• Complaint to SOLVIT has an informal character and does not replace an already ongoing procedure

German SOLVIT center

Forms: SOLVIT application
Online procedure possible: yes
Written form required: no
Personal appearance required: no