Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-12-Speech-1-083"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20070312.17.1-083"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I should like, first of all, to thank our colleague, Mr Hasse Ferreira, for the work that he has done. Dealing with social services of general interest (SSGIs) is not an easy matter, but he has demonstrated his listening skills throughout our meetings.
The key point in our colleague’s report is the launch of a consultation of the parties concerned, the aim of which is to better cater for the characteristics of SSGIs in the application of Community law. Social services are characterised, among other things, by the fact that they are personalised, that they implement basic social rights and that they help increase social cohesion, by protecting the most vulnerable. As such, they are an integral part of the European social model because, in their current form, they are specific to Europe and they contribute to the European growth strategy. They represent a dynamic economic sector and they create jobs, while being distinct from the other services of general economic interest. The services are operated on the basis of the solidarity principle and of their proximity to users.
The problem today with the great majority of SSGIs is that they fall directly within the scope of the Community Treaties; in other words, they are subject to the rules of the internal market and of competition. The issue of the application of these rules therefore arises in view of the need for the public authorities to continue intervening regarding arrangements for providing services. This objective to regularise public services fulfils legitimate objectives to do with maintaining the quality of services and making them accessible in urban and rural areas, and with protecting the users and vulnerable people who benefit from them.
Our social model, which we want to promote as an alternative to ultraliberalism, must not fall victim to our own Community rules."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples