European wide campaign launch for EU public service directive
Press communication: 21 April 2006
Action: European wide campaign launch for EU public service directive
European wide campaign launch for EU public service directive
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(21 April, Vienna) The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) today launched their campaign calling for an EU directive on public services. The campaign launch, which took place in Vienna was organised by EPSU’s Austrian affiliate union GdG. It was attended by the President of the European Social Platform Anne-Sophie Parent, the President of the European Public Service Employers Caspar Einem and the President of the European Local Government Employers, Michael Häupl.
The campaign aims are the following:
To have a Framework Directive on Services of General Interest in the European Union
To allow public service trade unions, employers and social NGO’s to play a central part in the drafting of the directive
To raise awareness in EU member states as to how public services are under attack at the EU level
To propose a counterpoint to the Directive on Services in the Internal Market
EPSU General Secretary Carola Fischbach-Pyttel stated that; “this campaign illustrates that trade unions are more than willing to contribute positively to the EU debate” She added that; “a positive definition of public services is particularly vital in light of the expressed EU aim to ‘reconnect’ with European people - a framework directive would show that the EU is listening to demands for quality public services”.
Christian Meidlinger, acting President of the Austrian Public Service Union GDG stated that “this campaign will be based on strong national actions by EPSU affiliates. Our strength is that we will gather empirical data over the next year, which will highlight the fact that the public service demands from EU citizens are based on high quality universality and accountability”.
The President of the European Social Platform, Anne-Sophie Parent welcomed the initiative and emphasised that; “the European Commission must take heed that a concrete proposal is expected. The internal market cannot be expected to deliver all services. The principle of solidarity must be reflected in EU legislation”.
EPSU President Anne-Marie Perret concluded the launch by declaring that “the coalition of organisations, both European and national, is already broad, and indeed growing. It is up to us to ensure that the European Institutions take heed of our demands and finally place public services at the heart of social Europe”.
The European Parliament will debate the issue in June and July and is expected to call on the European Commission to produce a draft framework directive within the year.
Detailed demands of the Campaign:
Europe must mean more to citizens than a market.
Quality public services are key to meeting citizen’s fundamental rights.
Universality, continuity, affordability and democratic control are important principles for public services.
EU competition must not undermine solidarity.
A European framework law should safeguard the rights of national, regional and local authorities to meet citizen’s needs.
Faced with the exponential influence of internal market regulations and subsequent pressures, we have come to recognise that the incremental creep of market influence will continue at EU level unless a ‘protected space’ for public services is clearly identified. In essence EPSU as an organisation has accepted that it is better to call for positive change collectively at the EU level rather than individually act defensively at national level.
EPSU’s existing policy says that a legal framework on public services (services of general interest in EU-speak) should establish:
Common public service principles;
Legal certainty regarding the prevalence of the general interest over competition rules including exemptions from the latter of social services, healthcare, water, education;
The right for local and regional authorities to self-produce essential services without fears of further encroachment from the Commission or Court of Justice;
An Observatory on public services with participation of trade unions to monitor and evaluate public services and the impact of liberalisation, to promote cooperation, improve standards, monitor changing needs of citizens etc.)
Financing mechanisms for public services which take into account the need and positive aspects of risk-sharing
For more information please contact
EPSU Communications Officer Brian Synnott
gsm +32 474 98 96 75
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