SOLVIT is an out-of-court problem-solving mechanism provided by the administrations of each EU Member State and the EEA States. It is available free of charge and aims to find pragmatic solutions to problems encountered by individuals as well as businesses as a result of the incorrect application of internal market rules by public authorities.
The principles for the functioning of SOLVIT are set out in Commission Recommendation 2013/461/EU. Regulation 2019/515 is the first time that SOLVIT is explicitly mentioned in a binding legal act as a problem-solving service in the area of non-harmonised trade in goods.
If an authority takes an administrative decision to restrict or refuse market access, the decision must contain an explicit reference to SOLVIT.
If an undertaking affected by an administrative decision under Regulation 2019/515 has submitted it to SOLVIT, the SOLVIT bodies involved may request the European Commission to provide a legal opinion if they consider it appropriate in the resolution of an individual case. The Commission is obliged to issue an opinion within 45 days. The opinion will be taken into account in the SOLVIT procedure and communicated to the company concerned and the other Member States.