Recital 41

(41)The provision of services by third-country firms in the Union is subject to national regimes and requirements. Those regimes are highly differentiated and the firms authorised in accordance with them do not enjoy the freedom to provide services and the right of establishment in Member States other than the one where they are established. It is appropriate to introduce a common regulatory framework at Union level. The regime should harmonise the existing fragmented framework, ensure certainty and uniform treatment of third-country firms accessing the Union, ensure that an assessment of effective equivalence has been carried out by the Commission in relation to the prudential and business conduct framework of third countries, and should provide for a comparable level of protection to clients in the Union receiving services by third-country firms.