Commission
defines approach for promoting high-quality services of general
interest
The
European Commission has today adopted a White Paper setting out the European
Union's approach to fostering the development of high-quality services of
general interest. The White Paper presents the Commission's conclusions from a
broad public consultation launched on the basis of last year's Green Paper (see
IP/03/714 ). It highlights the fact that in the area of
services of general interest, the responsibilities are shared between the Union
and the
The
White Paper is presented as a follow-up to the Green Paper on services of
general interest of 21 May 2003¹. With the Green Paper Commission
launched a wide public debate on the EU's role in
ensuring the provision of high-quality services of general interest to consumers
and businesses. The Green Paper invited comments on the need for and possible
added value of framework legislation and on the overall role of the EU in defining the public service objectives pursued by
services of general interest and on the way these services are organised,
financed and evaluated.
The
debate launched by the Green Paper met with considerable interest. The
Commission received close to 300 contributions from a wide variety of
respondents². Commission staff have prepared a
Report on the public consultation which analyses the contributions submitted and
provides background material to the White Paper³.
In line
with the request made by the European Parliament in its Resolution on the Green
Paper of 14 January 20044, the Commission draws its
conclusions on the issue in this White Paper. The White Paper outlines the
Commission's approach and defines a number of orientations for a coherent policy
in the area of services of general interest.
The
document defines a number of principles which guide the Commission's policies in
the area of services of general interest, such as: maintaining high levels of
quality; security and safety; ensuring consumer and user rights; enabling
regulation as close as possible to citizens and enterprises; ensuring cohesion
and universal access; respecting diversity; performance evaluation; transparency
and legal certainty.
One of
the key questions raised for public debate concerned the need for a framework
directive on services of general interest. The views expressed on the subject in
the public consultation remained divided, a number of Member States still being
sceptical and discussions in the European Parliament on the issue also being
somewhat controversial.
As a
result, it remained doubtful whether a framework directive would be the most
appropriate way forward at this stage and whether a framework directive would
provide sufficient added value. The Commission therefore concludes that it is
appropriate not to submit a proposal at this point in time but to re-examine the
issue at a later stage. For the time being, the Commission will, as a general
rule, pursue and develop its sectoral approach by
proposing, where necessary and appropriate, sector-specific rules that allow
account to be taken of the specific requirements and situations in each sector.
On the
basis of the results of the public consultation, the Commission also considers
it necessary to further clarify and simplify the legal framework for the
financing of public service obligations. The Commission intends to adopt a
package of measures to that effect by July 2005 at the latest. Most elements of
this package have already been submitted as drafts for consultation.
Furthermore,
the public debate highlighted the need for a clear and transparent framework for
the selection of undertakings entrusted with a service of general interest. The
Commission intends to examine EU legislation ensuring
the transparent award of service concessions. It has therefore launched a
consultation on the procurement aspects of public-private
partnerships5.
The
Green Paper also generated considerable interest among stakeholders in the area
of social and health services, who expressed a need for greater predictability
and clarity to ensure a smooth evolution of these services. The Commission is of
the view that it is useful to develop a systematic approach in order to identify
and recognise the specific characteristics of social and health services of
general interest and to clarify the framework in which they operate and can be
modernised. This approach will be set out in a Communication on social services
of general interest, including health services, to be adopted in the course of
2005.
Background
The
reality of services of general interest in the European Union is complex and
constantly evolving. It covers:
·
a broad
range of types of activities, from the big network industries (energy, postal
services, transport, and telecommunications) to health, education and social
services,
·
a wide
dimension in the provision of these services, from European or even global to
purely local level,
·
services
provided on a different basis; some are market based and some non market in
their nature.
The
organisation of these services varies according to cultural traditions, the
history and geographical conditions of each
The full
text of the White Paper is available at :
http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/services_general_interest/
¹ COM(2003) 270, 21.5.2003
² Full
text of contributions available on Commission's website
at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/services_general_interest/comments/public_en.htm
³ Report
on the public consultation on the Green Paper on services of general interest,
Commission Staff Working Paper, SEC(2004) 326, 15.03.2004, available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/services_general_interest/
4 European
Parliament Resolution of the Green Paper on services of general interest,
14.01.2004 (T5-0018/2004)
5 COM(2004) 327, 30.4