Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-13-Speech-2-082"
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"en.20011113.6.2-082"2
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". – Mr President, it is a particular pleasure to welcome the Langen report and the excellent work of the rapporteur in presenting a measured and forward-looking approach to the future provision of a category of services essential to our economy and to the wellbeing of all European citizens.
The Commission has played its part by presenting two communications on this subject and most recently a report to the Laeken European Council. Essentially we are all inspired by the same will to ensure that every citizen in Europe has access to high-quality services of general interest. The European Union has direct responsibilities with regard to those sectors for which internal market legislation has been introduced, essentially for network industries. In each case, specific provisions have been devoted to public service obligations. All this legislation has been adopted under codecision and is continuing to evolve. The package of proposals on energy adopted by the Commission this spring comprises greatly strengthened elements relating to public service obligations. Member States have a duty to specify and implement those obligations.
Elsewhere, in sectors not covered by specific Community legislation, Member States and their constituted authorities have the main role to play, for instance in the organisation and provision of local and social services. Here the Commission limits itself to ensuring compatibility with competition and internal market rules in general. Those rules, as emphasised by the Langen report, are quite flexible. In particular they provide for adequate financing of services of general interests.
The Commission has repeatedly been requested to provide greater legal security with regard to the general competition and internal market rules applicable to services of general interest. By explaining and developing its approach, it has attempted to put the fears expressed by operators and others involved to rest. The Commission proposes to continue to use examples, guidelines and communications, together with proposals for regulations on exemptions, to provide further clarification, as called for in the Langen report.
In its report to Laeken, the Commission has undertaken to establish a Community framework for state aid granted for services of general economic interest. That framework could, in particular, specify the conditions for the authorisation of state aid schemes by the Commission, thus alleviating the notification obligation for individual aid. This may lead to the adoption of a regulation exempting certain categories of aid from the obligation of prior notification.
On the issue of a proposed framework directive, the Commission is not opposed in principle and has already agreed to assess the value and feasibility of such an instrument. Our doubts concern mainly the articulation between such a directive and legislation at sectoral level. In the light of the European Parliament's resolution, the Commission will look at the subject again.
Another major issue concerns evaluation. I repeat that the Commission has every interest in rigorous, complete and honest evaluation of the results of Community legislation. That is good practice; it is also good governance and it should not be neglected, either at Member State or at European level. We propose to improve on existing sectoral evaluations and we have agreed to present an annual horizontal report in the context of the Cardiff process. The Commission welcomes the European Parliament's proposal to organise a debate in the existing forums in order to ensure a pluralist assessment and the debate ought to take place before the preparation of the Cardiff report in order to take full account of its results and recommendations.
In conclusion, I stress that services of general interest are an area of ongoing concern which will require new initiatives in future and further development of Community legislation. The Commission looks forward to involving the European Parliament as a partner in this process."@en1
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