What next for the Services Directive? The European Federation of Public Service Unions’ Perspective
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(24 February 2006, Brussels) Following the European Parliament plenary vote on 16 February, the spotlight is now on the 13 March Competitiveness Council of Ministers (i.e. the Member State Governments). EPSU concluded that the results of the vote on the Services Directive represented “significant progress”, particularly on health and social services. EPSU invested in a highly visible mobilising and lobbying presence to ensure these gains. The focus is now on unambiguously excluding all public services from the scope. What does this mean in practice? The 200 plus public service unions that make up the membership of EPSU are being urged to contact their national governments to call for a clear exclusion of public services from the directive. There are two key concerns:
Demanding that all Public Services (Services of General Economic Interest in ‘E.U. speak’) are excluded from the directive.
Ensuring that those sectors already excluded by the European Parliament are not reintroduced by the Council of Ministers (e.g. social services, all healthcare, transport)
EPSU has identified the following key risks that still remain in the directive:
The sectors covered by the directive include Water, Waste, Electricity + Gas (metering and billing services etc), Education and Culture. While the directive says that national governments can organise their public services, it also says that they must do so in conformity with Community law. Because there is no legal instrument protecting public services at the EU level, this phrase translates as; “National Governments can organise their public services in compliance with the Services Directive!”
The European Commission will have the right to scrutinise how national governments organise their public services (authorisation clause). The only question the Commission will ask is “Is this service following internal market rules?” rather than the question “Is this public service of the highest quality?”
The European Commission can block new regulations that a national government introduce to protect the quality and provision of a public service (requirements clause).
The text of the directive demands that administrative procedures are simplified. The EPSU concern is that the reason for this measure is that “simplified administrative procedures = less regulation. EPSU is fully in favour of better co-ordinated administrative systems, both between and within EU member states. However this should not mean that well thought out regulations, which protect quality standards should be regarded as inherently bad. The directive gives little detail on how the right balance between streamlined procedures and ensuring quality standards can be achieved.
There is now a “window of opportunity” for affiliates to press national governments to support the general exclusion of public services (SGI and SGEI) before the Council adopts its common position and the Commission issues a revised proposal. This particular battle in defence of high-quality public services is by no means over, and ordinary public service workers still have a crucial role to play.
Public Services - Europe’s Strength!
The Services Directive Timetable
13 March Council of Ministers (Competitiveness Council) is due to give its opinion on the European Parliament changes
April European Commission will propose a REVISED text
15-16 June European Council (Austrian Presidency summit meeting)
Note to editors: This article can be considered as a press release or an opinion piece by EPSU General Secretary Carola Fischbach-Pyttel
EPSU participation in the ETUC demonstration on 14 February in Strasbourg (photos)
Read more: First analysis of results of the EP plenary on 16 February vote in relation to EPSU’s sectors and request for action - for our members only
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