by Melanchthon
Wed Dec 12th, 2007 at 06:20:37 AM EST
The European Trade-Union Confederation organises a Europe-wide petition for high quality public services accessible to all
TOGETHER, WE DEMAND PUBLIC SERVICES THAT GENUINELY MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS, AND WE CALL ON THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO BRING FORWARD EUROPEAN LEGISLATION
Public services are essential for social, economic and regional cohesion in Europe. Such services must be of high quality and accessible to everyone. Until now, the only options put forward for developing public services have been privatisation or liberalisation (namely in sectors such as Energy, the Post and Telecommunications). It is time to find different solutions!
For this reason, we are calling on the Commission to propose European legislation on public services designed to:
- Give priority to the general interest embodied in public services;
- Ensure that everyone has access to public services;
- Strengthen public services in order to guarantee citizens' fundamental rights;
- Guarantee more legal security so as to allow the development of sustainable public service missions;
- Give public services a firm legal basis and thus immunity from ideologically motivated free market attacks.
Diary rescue by Migeru
Services of General Interest
Services of General Interest Public services - known in the European Union as services of general interest (SGIs) and services of general economic interest (SGEIs) - are vital to everyone. They have a decisive influence on the quality of people's lives, and are essential for social, economic and regional cohesion in Europe. For this reason the ETUC regards universal access to services to be a fundamental right.
The broadest definition of SGIs covers everything from water, energy supply and waste disposal, to healthcare and social services, education and postal deliveries. These services cannot be governed merely by commercial, free-market rules, because this would mean the weakest and most needy would always lose out.
The ETUC believes that services in the EU need a strong regulatory framework to ensure continuity of supply and fair access for everyone. They must be of the highest possible standard, and therefore subject to democratic control involving both consumers and workers in these crucial sectors.
It is supported by political personalities and European political parties like the PSE and the Greens. It has already gathered more than 500 000 signatures.
Go sign it!
