Two EU legislators said today that France had violated EU internal market rules by arresting Unibet Chief Executive Petter Nylander.
According to Reuters, MEPs Christofer Fjellner (Sweden) and Christopher Heaton-Harris (Great Britain) contend that Nylander was simply operating a business that is legal across most of the European Union.
"We find it astonishing the French authorities are using the European Arrest Warrant to protect their own business markets," the two said in a letter to EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy.
"(W)e believe their actions are violating one of the four fundamental freedoms of the internal market, the freedom to provide services," they added.
The letter forcefully suggests that the use of the European Arrest Warrant is generally reserved for more serious crimes involving terrorism, human and arms trafficking, murder or child pornography.
"This instrument (the warrant) was never meant to be used by governments to punish those who fight for their rights under the rules of the EU treaty to provide goods and services," they said.
McCreevy is set to meet with French representatives on Nov. 6 to discuss the infringement proceedings dating to October 2006.
In their letter, the two urged the commission to continue pressuring French authorities in order to secure Nylander's immediate release.