The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) is placing the defence of vital public services at the top of its policy agenda for the next four years. This battle for the identity of Europe is about improving and expanding the European Social Model by means of “intelligent social investment”. The alternative is the triumph of unbridled commercialism and privatisation fostered by competition law, public-private partnerships and other invidious mechanisms.

The blueprint for this task is Resolution: R.1. Public Services - Europe’s Strength, a stridently worded document that will be tabled at EPSU’s Congress (General Assembly) in Stockholm (14 - 17 June). EU enlargement, an emergent constitutional treaty and seeing Europe simply as a market, provides the backdrop for this colossal challenge.

The Congress document identifies issues and outlines action. The role of the European Commission, especially its subjective interpretation and application of competition law is confronted. Various “orthodoxies”, surrounding the growth and stability pact and the conduct of the EU’s international trade policy, for example, are identified. The Congress document vigorously challenges these spurious orthodoxies. Effective taxation policies throughout the EU, the document points out, should form the natural bedrock for vibrant public services, including “realistic rates” of harmonised corporate tax.

European social, health and welfare traditions, according to the document, form the European Social Model, which should be supported by “intelligent social investment.” Rigorous campaigning and alliance-building against Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and in favour of Public-Public Partnerships, for example, is acknowledged and advocated. This sort of activity is being done in conjunction with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and EPSU’s sister organisation, Public Service International (PSI).

EPSU General Secretary, Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, accepting that the Lisbon declaration in 2000, which informs current EU economic and social policy, acknowledges public services said, “the advancement of internal market methods and public private partnerships are preferred.” Reflecting the views of the document: “EPSU must show that public services represent the point between economic performance and social stability, she asserted.

The EPSU General Secretary also said: “The document is a comprehensive statement of the arguments supporting public services, identifying the myriad threats that much mainstream EU activity poses to this vital part of Europe’s social fabric and heritage. It provides a blueprint for the fight to ensure that public services survive and flourish.”

The last EPSU Congress placed Services of General Interest (SGI) at the heart of the debate on Europe’s future. The constitutional treaty and prevailing views at the EU’s decision-making level ”complicated” matters. Alliance-building and other activity challenging “legal vagueness and ambiguity” has been triggered.

The proposed outline of EPSU policy is also adamant about Imposing sensible limits on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) process. This is because “the capacity to deliver high quality services has been compromised by the drive to open public services to competition.” The document states that the European Commission in its role as “negotiating partner for the EU has formulated a pro-liberalisation agenda regarding world trade.” The Commission is called on “to recognise the limits of its negotiating mandate”, because, by the use of competition law the Commission is encroaching into areas of member state responsibility such as health and education.

“The exclusion of health, education, culture, social services and water from any trade obligations must be made unequivocal,” the document states.

A number of recommendations for protecting and promoting public services are outlined. The most important of these is a commitment to have public services “reflected at the heart of the EU treaty.”

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