Services Directive - Focus on 22 November European Parliament Vote

(4 November 2005) EPSU has launched a major push to make Members of the European Parliament (EP) take note that a vote for the services directive is ‘anti-quality’ and a profound attack on the role of public services in the European Union. The powerful Internal Market Committee of the EP is due to vote on the Services Directive on 22 November. At stake is how public services are defined, managed and delivered. In a call to all affiliates, EPSU has highlighted that the EPP, ALDE, and UEN political groups in the EP, have based their position on a false political premise. Simply put, these groups (representing 382 seats in the 731 seat EP) state that public services will not be harmed by the directive, despite the fact that the definition of public services at EU level has never been clarified. A 30 month, European Commission lead, process of consultation on services of general interest (public services) failed to result in any initiative. The Commission based this inaction on the fact that the EU Constitutional Treaty would ‘clarify matters’. The failure of this treaty means the Commission must take action to define public services before the Services Directive irrevocably changes the landscape. All 216 EPSU affiliates are urged to make direct representation to their local MEP’s calling for a clear message for quality public services in the EU and a halt to the Services Directive in it’s current form.

List of the members of the IMCO Committee

List MEPs IMCO

(PDF, 39.7 kb)

EPSU letter “IMCO vote of the draft directive on services in the internal market - The Services Directive breaks every rule in the good governance rulebook” (letter English only)

Letter October to IMCO

(PDF, 32.6 kb)

Model EPSU letter for IMCO members “Re: Proposal for a Directive on Services in the Internal Market - Please don’t be anti-quality on Public Services” (model letter being translated)