European Union – Freedom to provide services. The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling in which it decided, among other things, that art 9(1) of Directive (EC) 97/67 had to be interpreted to the effect that a postal items service such as the one at issue in the main proceedings did not fall within the scope of the universal service if it did not involve the permanent provision of a postal service of specified quality at all points in the territory at affordable prices for all users. The provision of a postal items service which did not fall within the scope of the universal service could be subjected only to the issuing of a general authorisation.