Brussels, 18/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - At the request of Commission President, Romano Prodi, the European Economic and Social Committee have drawn up an exploratory opinion by rapporteur Hernandez Bataller on "the general interest services" (Diverse Activities Group Spain). During their plenary session this exploratory opinion received 58 in favour, 11 against, with one abstention). The committee is asking the Commission to present a draft framework directive that: consolidates the principles on economic services of general interest and which gives Member States flexibility in this area; motives which could justify setting up a general interest service. These motives could also be economic (such as the excessive cost of necessary investment, availability of the product or sustainable development) or social (for example to reduce regional imbalances and social and economic inequalities and guaranteeing equality in access to these services). The Committee supports economic and financial balance in providing services, which should award compensation to companies responsible for these services and the costs resulting from public service obligations, which ought to be considered compatible with Community standards in the draft framework directive.
The Committee also proposed the creation of a general interest services observatory to assess the conditions under which services are provided in the Member States. It considers that in order to distinguish between economic and non-economic activities, services associated with national education systems and mandatory social security, services provided by charitable and cultural non-profit making entities must be exempt from competition rules and provisions relating to the internal market. The Committee believes that a specific focus needs to be given to the provision and financing of public broadcasting services in order to safeguard the protection of fundamental rights (in particular the right to receive and communicate information), democratic principles and pluralism, which may be affected by certain processes of concentration.