Services of general Interest and the European Convention - publication
Services of General Interest and the Convention on the future of Europe
"You can shape the future of Europe!"
EPSU General Circular No. 13 (2002)
To all EPSU affiliates
To the Members of the EPSU:
Executive Committee
Standing Committee on Public Utilities
Standing Committee on National and European Administration
Standing Committee on Local and Regional Government
Standing Committee on Health and Social Services
Contact person: Brian Synnott
17/12/02
Dear colleagues,
I wish to report on how EPSU is trying to guarantee public services (services of general interest) in the draft new EU treaty currently taking shape, what we intend to do in 2003, and most importantly - how you can get your members to help us.
At our 2 December conference ’Services of General Interest and the European Convention’ significant progress was made. That progress will be outlined subsequently. However, the core message of this circulation is based on a point, a constructive criticism, made by one of the participants; Charles Cochrane of our UK affiliates PCS. The point was namely that we need to translate our message to the members. If we are going to garner influence we need to generate momentum - to do that we need to convince the millions of public service workers that make up EPSU, of what we know to be true - that liberalisation policies of the European Commission with the majority support of the European Council are undermining public services. We need to illustrate to them how difficult it has been to get the European Convention to even discuss core social values for Europe and therefore public services. In short we need them to be making our demands for us.
I will outline how we can generate this momentum, but first let me inform you what has already been achieved. Firstly, over 120 active participants were present on 2 December. It is my hope that they will pass on their experiences of the conference.
Secondly, EPSU initiated a grand coalition on the issue of services of general interest. This coalition consists of ourselves, the CEEP (European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest), the European Platform of Social NGO’s, and the European Liaison Committee for Services of General Interest (CELSIG). In addition, our sister federations ETF, ETUCE and UNI Europa, remain part of our action. Together we have drafted a joint declaration to the convention calling for public services to be at the heart of Europe. The significance of this coalition is that it represents an agreement between trade unions, NGOs and employers, that social Europe is the bridge that connects Europe to the citizen. Our organisations are in full accordance that a fundamental pillar of Social Europe is the concept of services of general interest.
Thirdly, the newly appointed chair of the European Convention working group, on social Europe, Mr. Giorgios Katiforis MEP, delivered the conference conclusion. In his remarks he guaranteed that Services of General Interest would be discussed. We must ensure that every participant in this discussion is aware of our demands.
Fourthly, we have disseminated the declaration to all members of the social working group, reminding them of their huge responsibility in the process, to all Convention members, to the European Commissioners, European parliamentarians, and to the press. In addition, the broad coalition is presently working on a second submission to the convention to reinforce this message.
Yet these tactics are only effective up to a point. The members of the convention are politicians, and like all politicians they react best to public opinion. Our members are the most effective way to shape this opinion. To convince them to assume this role is your job!
EPSU asks that you:
Publish articles on the European Convention explaining the significance of this body and the urgent need for it to focus on guaranteeing fundamental rights, such as access to health, education, water and sanitation.
Use the declaration and press release attached in those articles
Please publish the names of the members of the convention from your country, with contact details, so that members can write directly, urging them to protect the European social model
Provide a model letter for them to send to their convention member.
EPSU will publish a newspaper format of the conference proceedings in mid January. This will be available in all EPSU languages. I urge you to include it as an insert in your publications.
The ETUC will hold a day of action on the convention on 21 March. The main event will be in Brussels but it is there will be action in all member states. EPSU urges you to join those actions and to make the case for public services for the 21st century,
Yours sincerely,
Carola Fischbach-Pyttel
EPSU General Secretary
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