The Internal Market of the European Union is based fundamentally on four freedoms: the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. Among the different regulations adopted by the Community legislature aimed at preventing obstacles to free movement, one that stands out is Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations. This key reference point is the basis for analysing how and whether a degree of convergence of preventive measures in relation to the other freedoms might be established and/or strengthened.