Loven siger i enkle vendinger, at medlemsstaterne er ansvarlige for at værne om den frie bevægelighed, og medmindre og indtil det kan påvises, at de har forsømt denne forpligtelse, er Kommissionens effektive bemyndigelse til at gribe ind eller iværksætte foranstaltninger imod regeringen meget små, hvis den overhovedet eksisterer.
The law says in plain terms that Member States have the responsibility of upholding the freedom of movement and unless and until it can be shown that they are negligent in that duty, the effective power of the Commission to intervene or to undertake proceedings against that government is very small, if it exists at all.