17.9.2015 Official Journal of the European Union L 241/1 (Legislative acts) DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/1535 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services (codification) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 114, 337 and 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinions of the European Economic and Social Committee ('), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (%), Whereas: (1)  Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council () has been substantially amended several times (*). In the interests of clarity and rationality, that Directive should be codified. (2)  The internal market comprises an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured. Therefore, the prohibition of quantitative restrictions on the movement of goods and of measures having an equivalent effect is one of the basic principles of the Union. (3)  In order to promote the smooth functioning of the internal market, as much transparency as possible should be ensured as regards national initiatives for the establishment of technical regulations. (4)  Barriers to trade resulting from technical regulations relating to products may be allowed only where they are () ) 0) () necessary in order to meet essential requirements and have an objective in the public interest of which they constitute the main guarantee. Opinion of 14 July 2010 (OJ C 44, 11.2.2011, p. 142) and opinion of 26 February 2014 (O] C 214, 8.7.2014, p. 55). Position of the European Parliament of 15 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 13 July 2015. 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 and of rules on Information Society services (O] L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37). The original title was ‘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’. It was amended by Directive 98/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 July 1998 amending Directive 98/34/EC laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (OJ L 217, 5.8.1998, p. 18). See Annex III, Part A.