Langen Report is "politically unacceptable", according to European public services unions

Brussels, 16/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - The draft report by Werner Langen MEP (CDU) on services of a general interest is "biased and politically unacceptable", says Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, General Secretary of the European Federation of Public Service Unions (the largest industrial trade union within the European Trade Union Confederation, with 180 unions representing 10 million workers). The European Union must remain neutral on the question of public or private ownership of companies, but, having cited this important principle, Mr. Langen "blatantly ignores it by giving a clear preference to private provision of services of general interest", she says in a press release. She then states that her organisation:

- disagrees with the conclusions of the rapporteur that the opening of the electricity and gas markets has led to improved services and lower prices. Liberalisation has led to lower prices for the large industrial consumers only", she says.

• rejects Mr. Langen's proposal aimed at pursuing the liberalisation of the water industry in the EU: "Quality water is a rare commodity. Its distribution cannot be left to the market", Ms. Fischbach-Pyttel observes, noting that " a number of city councils have taken back their water concessions from private companies, as for example in Grenoble or in Potsdam"
• together with ETUC, she concludes, "we aim for the establishment of a European Framework-Directive which would allow services of general interest to fulfil their missions within the internal market (and) also strengthen Article 16 of the EU Treaty which confirms the role of services of general interest for economic and social cohesion".