A connection was often drawn between the initial text of the Services Directive, which gave rise to a great deal of concern in a range of areas and sectors, particularly in western Europe, and an apparent or real drop in the amount of attention being paid by the EU to the social aspects of European integration.
On a souvent souligné le contraste entre le texte initial de la directive sur les services, qui a suscité de nombreuses craintes dans divers domaines et secteurs, en particulier en Europe de l'Ouest, et l'attention apparemment ou effectivement moindre accordée par l'Union aux aspects sociaux de la construction européenne.