Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-12-Speech-1-078"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2007-03-12"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Social services of general interest (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"el"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20070312.17.1-078"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2007-03-12-Speech-1-0792
lpv:speaker	lp:Kyriacos Triantaphyllides2
lpv:spokenAs	member; Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (2004-09-15--2007-03-14)3,3 unknown; Anorthotiko Komma Ergazomenou Laou - Aristera - Nees Dynameis (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3,3 member; REGI (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3,3 member; Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand (2004-09-15--2007-03-13)3,3 substitute; EMPL (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3,3 member_of_the_bureau; EUL/NGL (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3,3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee (2004-09-15--2007-03-14)3,3
lpv:translated text	". Mr President, there is a problem of interpretation in connection with the activity of services of general interest. Both the European Commission and the Court interpret the systems of compulsory and additional social insurance, which cover fundamental concepts such as health, old age, occupational accidents, unemployment, pensions, disability and services provided directly to persons preventively or for social integration, cohesion and so forth and which include social housing, the integration of people with disabilities or health problems, drug addiction programmes, training programmes for vocational reintegration and other such services, as an economic activity, thereby allowing the Commission to raise the question of opening these services up to undistorted competition. It is a fact that, instead of recognizing the role of such social services of general interest as fundamental and necessary services in a society, the Commission is reversing the terms and trying to open them up to commercialisation by giving third party providers the right to exercise them in return, of course, for a fee. This will result in pressure being exercised on the public-sector aspect and economic aspects of such services. At the same time, it aims to make it harder for public-sector providers of these services by citing the principle of non-discrimination or the articles of the Treaty on European Union. This serves private individuals, given that the alleged lifting of discrimination and the fact that these services are wide open to competition, will allow them to provide social services using corporate methods. If we take account of the fact that social services of general interest and health services are exempted from the Bolkestein directive, then it is easy to see that the Commission is looking for other ways to bring these services within the framework of full liberalisation, thereby enabling multinationals to provide them under a more beneficial regime. This being so, I believe that we must defend the right of the Member States to define social services of general interest as they wish, to maintain their public-sector aspect and not to allow them to be transferred into private hands via a directive as a commodity. These services are vital to society and they cannot be treated as an economic activity in the narrow sense of the term; they must be treated as a social necessity."@en1

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