European Economic and Social Committee

PRESS RELEASE No 009/2007 / 1 February 2007

European Economic and Social Committee

Social services focus of discussions at the EESC

On 31 January 2007, the EESC's study group on Social services of general interest organised a hearing in Brussels. Which law applies if a patient contracts a nosocomial infection after being treated in a hospital abroad? What status should be given to an association operating in the field of social services? How should services of general interest be defined in one country or another? These are some of the questions addressed during the discussion, organised as part of the preparations for the conference on public services on 19 April 2007.

The discussion shed light on the key issues, including: the Commission's decision to deal separately with social and healthcare services; the distinction between economic and non-economic services of general interest (SGI); the financing of social services of general interest (SSGI); maintaining the quality and continuity of SGI; the legal situation of SGI in relation to the competition rules; the decision as to whether to opt for a framework directive or sectoral approach.

Mr Raymond Hencks (Group II, Employees), the EESC's rapporteur for Social services of general interest stated, "It is vital to remove the legal uncertainty surrounding the SGI and to define common basic principles at EU level for all these services, including SSGI, which can be integrated into a framework directive". In Mr Hencks' view, "the distinction between the economic and non-economic nature of a service of general interest remains unclear and uncertain and it is necessary to look at the nature of the service, its purpose and its objectives and to determine which services fall within the scope of the competition rules and the internal market".

Explaining the European Parliament's position on the issue, Mr Joel Hasse Ferreira, the European Parliament's rapporteur on SSGIs also stressed that, "it is important to have a clear majority within the EP, particularly in relation, firstly, to the organisation of a forum involving a broad range of the civil society organisations concerned, the Commission and the Council and, secondly, to legal clarification of the SSIG, in order to strengthen the EU's social dimension."

Mr Jérôme Vignon, the Director General of the European Commission's Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG, felt that, in relation to health, the two main issues were patient mobility and the quality of health services. He stressed the need for monitoring and evaluation of the SGI, and for this to be carried out independently. He asked the EESC to continue to contribute, through its debates, to the improvement of social and health services.

Mr Laurent Ghekiere, representative of the CEEP (European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest), stressed that it was necessary to introduce public regulation, whilst at the same time emphasising the need for legal certainty and political action.

The next steps

The EESC is expected to adopt its report on services of general interest in March 2007 and is also drawing up an opinion, to be adopted in April, on the full accomplishment of the internal market of Community postal services. In addition, a conference on public services, co-organised with the Committee of the Regions, is to be held on 19 April 2007.

The person to contact at the EESC for further information about the conference on 19th April is: Agota Bazsik (tel.: +32 (0)2 546 86 58; email: )

You may also consult our website:

For more details, please contact:
Karel Govaert or Christian Weger at the EESC Press Office,
99 rue Belliard, B-1040 Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 546 9396/9586; Mobile: +32 475 75 32 02
Email:
Website:
Press Releases:
(English)
(French)
The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.