Brussels, 14/04/2011 (Agence Europe) -The services of general economic interest (SGEI) were significantly omitted in the Commission announcement on the work to accomplish by 2012. Nevertheless, they were included in the communication adopted on Wednesday 13 April by the College, under priority No.10: “social cohesion”. They are fairly well concealed behind the dossier on posted workers and there is no clarification on the proposals announced for the rest of this year. This is the main thrust of the criticism made by Laurent Ghékière, the Union sociale pour l'habitat (USH)'s representative to the EU.
As part of a communication to be adopted by the end of the year, the Commission will put forward action that is intended to provide the best way of guaranteeing SGEI, “including social services of general interest” (SSGI), which will benefit from a framework to help them best accomplish their stated objectives, explained Ghékière. The Commission will therefore examine the action needed to guarantee access for all citizens at an affordable cost to services that are essential in their daily lives and which help them participate in the economic and social life of society, whilst respecting the essential role of member states in the provision, management and organisation of these services (see Article14 of the TFEU and the Protocol No. 26 annexed to the Treaties). Ghékière insists that the response will need to take into account the way in which Europeans' needs are constantly evolving.
Ghékière explained that the Commission has noted that not all citizens are able to actively participate in the single market. For example, access to basic banking services, which has become “a crucial guarantee for participating in economic and social life” is not being fully guaranteed. The Commission, however, is congratulated for “proposing an initiative on accessing basic payment accounts at a reasonable cost, for all citizens, wherever they live in the EU”. For further information: http://www.ssig-fr.org (G. B./transl.fl)