Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-12-19-Speech-4-021"
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"en.20021219.2.4-021"2
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".
Mr President, the issue of public services is the subject of a major debate in Europe and elsewhere, and the general trend observed during the past 20 years has been a development of the role of the public authority, which no longer produces directly but regulates and establishes the rules for the game. This is the case in Europe, in particular, where the goal – which was also a necessity – of creating a single market has certainly facilitated this development.
The Green Paper will allow the Commission firstly to examine whether a framework directive would be appropriate and secondly to launch a large-scale debate on the overall issue. Therefore, the purpose of this Green Paper is not to delay the feasibility study on a framework directive. Quite the opposite: given the diversity of the traditions, structures and positions existing in the Member States, only a broad European-level debate will be able to draw out enough common ground for an overall Community framework to be established. In addition, alongside the preparation of the Green Paper, we are working on other dossiers, particularly in the area of the application of rules on state aid and in the field of the evaluation of services. This work could, moreover, be a useful contribution to the Green Paper. As regards the timetable, the Green Paper should be adopted in March 2003 and the conclusions drawn before the end of the year.
This, Mr President, is the Commission’s statement on this matter.
Experience has shown that the creation of a single market based on the system of healthy competition is fully compatible with socioeconomic concerns, of which services of general interest are one of the most practical elements. Furthermore, a higher level of competition throughout the economy has led to an increase in the effectiveness of services of general interest.
The history of the Community has always been consistent. At each new stage in European integration, progress has been made towards both freer movement of goods, persons, services and capital and greater inclusiveness and cohesion. Each step forward in the area of the internal market has gone hand in hand with the introduction of measures to ensure that the weaker regions and citizens are not left lagging behind. This was the case as regards the Single Act and the case at Maastricht and Amsterdam too. One example is the inclusion in the Treaty of the policy of economic and social cohesion, of consumer protection and of environment policy, all of which are intended to complement and balance the strategies of opening up the markets and liberalisation.
Article 16 of the Treaty, introduced at Amsterdam, explicitly recognises the role of services of economic general interest. It confirms the need to find a better way of reconciling harmoniously and coherently the principles relating to services of general interest and the other objectives of the Treaty, particularly the internal market and free competition.
The Commission has always recognised the primordial role of services of general interest. In its 1996 communication on services of general interest in Europe, it proposed a reference to the promotion of these services. The sectoral legislation adopted at Community level relating to major network industries, particularly the energy sector, contains extremely ambitious goals as regards high quality public services.
Moreover, the Commission has always applied competition and market rules in such a way as to avoid the supply and development of high quality services of general interest being hindered. I could mention by way of example the communication on public broadcasting, introducing rules on state aid, which was drawn up by Mr Monti and myself last year and which is an example of the way we can apply competition rules intelligently while giving governments all the leeway they need to organise public services properly.
Services of general interest are thus an essential component of the European model of society. They contribute to the citizens’ quality of life and are an essential condition if the citizens are to be able to exercise many of their rights fully.
In its report to the Laeken Council, the Commission declared its intention, and I quote: ‘to examine the suggestion to consolidate and specify the principles on services of general interest underlying Article 16 of the Treaty in a framework directive’
The Commission decided to carry out this examination within the framework of a Green Paper. There are two main reasons why it has adopted this approach. Firstly, the questions raised are very broad in scope and cannot be addressed in a debate limited to a proposal for a framework directive. Secondly, given the expectations and existence of very different positions with regard to the feasibility of a framework directive and the added value it would represent, it appeared essential to establish a reference framework first. We must not underestimate the technical and conceptual problems which would certainly be raised by the establishment of a framework directive either."@en1
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