(25 February 2010) With the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty there are now clear obligations on the European Union to develop a positive agenda for public services and fundamental rights.
EPSU wants to make full use of the new possibilities so that a strong public sector and quality public services can play their role in combating the economic crisis and securing the long-term development of our societies, both within and outside the EU. This means, for example, that public services must (...)

First meeting, 2 February 2010

(25 January 2010) EPSU is pleased to contribute to the consultation, in complement to the remarks submitted by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). We support the aim of an overarching strategy for the EU, and we agree with the Commission that “we live in an age when the divisions between different policy fields are increasingly artificial (1).” In our view sustainable development - and the pursuit of integrated social, economic and environmental progress - must underpin this (...)

I. EPSU Opinion and Recommendations

Adopted at the EPSU Executive Committee, 9 & 10 November 2009, Brussels

For the last 5 years, the Commission has defined the European Union almost solely in terms of the extension of the internal market. Of course the market is a central pillar of the project, but it by no means defines the entire EU. If we take the analogy that the EU is a village, then the Commission has been putting all its efforts into building an (...more)

The aim of the workshop was to help prepare the first draft of the public services resolution for the EPSU 2009 Congress. Each constituency was invited to nominate two representatives to the meeting.
The attached PowerPoint presentation gives an overview of the day’s discussion. The last slides reflect the points made in the meeting concerning the content of the public services resolution. These are based also on a “tour de table” on challenges and trade union demands at the national (...)

Information note on EU developments relating to public services
November 2007

(Brussels, 31 May) The campaign for public services saw growing momentum build in the European Parliament (EP). On 30 May, both the Party of European Socialists (PES) and the Green Party/EFA launched initiatives calling for a framework directive on Services of General Interest. In addition the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee of the European Parliament debated the draft EP response to the Commission White Paper on Services of General Interest.

From Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, EPSU General Secretary
To the members of the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee I would like to make some preliminary remarks about the Working Document on Services of General Interest (11.04.06), which is due to be tabled at your next meeting on 3 May. Also I would like to draw your attention to the fact that EPSU will submit a detailed response to the Working Document on 22 May, which we hope can be integrated into the formal ECON discussions on the (...)

EPSU response to Communication on social services of general interest
Press communication: 27 April 2006
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Attention: News Editors
(27 April, Brussels) The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) expresses its disappointment with the Communication on Social Services of General Interest. This is based on the substance and the process of the Communication on Social Services of General Interest (26 April). In substance the Communication falls short of EPSU’s (...)