L 4/10 Official Journal of the European Union 6.1.2005 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION DECISION of 24 June 2004 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 81 of the EC Treaty concerning case COMP|A.38549 — Belgian Architects’ Association (notified under document number C(2004) 2180) (Only the Dutch text is authentic) (2005/8/EC) On 24 June 2004, the Commission adopted a decision relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the EC Treaty. In accordance with the provisions of Article 30 of Regulation 1/2003, the Commission herewith publishes the names of the parties and the main content of the decision, including any penalties imposed. In doing so, it has regard to the legitimate interest of the undertakings in the protection of their business secrets. A non-confidential version of the full text of the decision can be found in the authentic language of the case (NL) and in the Commission’s working languages (FR, EN, DE) on DG COMP’s website at http://europa.eu.int/ commycompetition/index_en.html. BACKGROUND communication on competition in  professional . o . services (). In this communication the Commission (1) The European Council meeting in Lisbon in March 2000 acknowledged that some regulation in the sector of approved a programme of economic reform aimed at making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. In improving the competitiveness of the European economy there is an important part to be played by professional services. The Decision on the scale of minimum fees drawn up by the Belgian Architects’ Association is in line with the Commission’s overall policy towards services in general and professional services in particular. This is reflected in the proposals for Directives on services(!) and on professional qualifications (%), and the Commission (") Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on services in the internal market, COM(2004) 2. () Amended proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the recognition of professional qualifications (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty), COM(2004) 317. professional services may be justified, for instance to reduce the asymmetry of information between customers and service providers. It however expressed its belief that in some cases more pro-competitive mechanisms than those which presently exist can and should be used. Professional services are usually characterised by a high level of regulation, in the form of either state regulation or self-regulation by professional bodies. Some of this regulation is potentially restrictive, the five main cate- gories being (i) price fixing, (i) recommended prices, (iii) advertising regulations, (iv) entry requirements and reserved rights, and (v) regulations governing business structure and multi-disciplinary practices. (®) Report on Competition in Professional Services, COM(2004) 83.