Initiative for Europe Handbook 2008

INITIATIVE FOR EUROPE
Towards a European “Public Service”
In late 2006, ETUC, the Brussels-based European Confederation of Trade Unions,
decided to launch a European Citizens’ Initiative to campaign for better and more accessible
public services for all at the European level. The ETUC initiative is rapidly gathering signatures
but does encountering difficulties in verifying signatures, writes Aurélien Dierckens.
For a number of years, the European Commission has pursued a policy of market liberalisation in order
to promote competition and a free market. Such liberalisation has often had the effect of replacing
single, public monopolies with private oligopolies. Furthermore, such liberalisation has reduced the
accessibility and sometimes the quality of public services.
What is the Commission doing to maintain and modernise public services? It is getting lost in a fog of
hesitancy involving Green Papers, White Papers and Communications, and it is failing to put forward
a proposal for legislation in favour of public services.
The ETUC has proposed a legislative moratorium on liberalisation until the European Commission is
in a position to deliver a framework proposal on SGI – Services of General Interest (ETUC position
paper: The proposal for a directive on services in the internal market; 17-18 March 2004). It has also
put forward a framework directive on services of general economic interest (see the proposal for a
European framework to guarantee and develop services of general economic interest at
http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf/4-ETUC_framework_directive__annex_8aEC__EN_SC_RES2.pdf;
Annex to the resolution: "Towards a framework directive on services of general (economic) interest" 06-
07 June 2006). But the Commission refuses to take action.
That is why the ETUC launched its initiative on public services in November 2006. In cooperation
with its affiliates and other partners, the ETUC has decided to collect signatures from citizens and
workers urging the Commission to enact framework legislation designed to safeguard public services.
Main aims of the large-scale signature gathering
The ETUC believes it is time to take decisive action to safeguard key public services - known
in the EU as services of general interest (SGIs) or services of general economic interest (SGEIs) - which
are being undermined by liberalisation, privatisation, and the interference of free market rules. At its
Executive Committee on 06-07 June 2006, the ETUC adopted a strategy urging the European
Commission to propose a framework directive to create a legal basis for vital services, ensuring that
public interest takes precedence over commercial profit.
SGIs have a decisive influence on the quality of people’s lives, and are central to social, economic and
regional cohesion in Europe. For this reason the ETUC regards universal access to services - covering
anything from water, energy supply and waste management, to health care and social services,
education and postal services - as a fundamental right.
“Services in the EU need a strong regulatory framework to ensure continuity of supply and fair access
for everyone,” said ETUC General Secretary John Monks. “They must be of the highest standard, and
therefore accountable to both consumers and workers in these crucial sectors.”
The ETUC has already put forward a draft directive, as have other key actors (CEEP, European Socialist
Group, etc.) giving the Commission a basis to work from. But so far, despite repeated requests, no
proposal has come forward. Citizens have expectations of public services. The ETUC intends to
respond to such expectations through this initiative petition, which allows workers and citizens to make
their views known.
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