Strasbourg, 19/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The vote on the report by Philippe Herzog on utilities (“services of general interest”) has been given a mixed welcome by interested parties and political groups at the European Parliament, divided on this sensitive issue. In his report, the rapporteur partially amended the approach by the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (see EUROPE of 15 January p.14, and 14 January, pages 11 and 12). Despite amendments in the direction desired by the rapporteur (who wanted a framework directive), the Liberal group decided to express satisfaction. Spokesperson Karin Riis-Joergensen stressed that if the European Commission presented new legislation, it would have to wait until after consultation in the form of a White Paper. She recalled that the Liberals would continue to argue fro a sectoral, rather than horizontal, approach. The Socialists are partially satisfied. Spokesperson Bernhard Rapkay focussed on the fact that European Parliament had finally called for more a greater legal safety net and announced that the Socialist group would soon be unveiling concrete proposals relating to a directive. Belgian Socialists Olga Zrihen, Anne Van Lancker, Véronique de Keyser and Jean-Maurice Dehousse described the final text, however, as unacceptable (as did the French Socialists) with French Socialist Pervenche Berès criticising it as an argument in favour of the free market. Gilles Savary regretted the text gave no effective legal protection to public service and its sustainable funding. The Greens/EFA also criticised the outcome, particularly French MEP Hélène Flautre and Belgian Pierre Jonckheer, with German MEP Heide Rühle describing the outcome as ambiguous although it is an improvement on the text in the form approved by the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee, which had made sweeping changes to the Herzog report.
Carola Fischbach-Pyttel of the Fédération syndicale européenne des services publics expressed relief, saying the most important fact was that the European Parliament had decided to leave open the option of protecting the interests of the general public in a legal framework faced with individual business interests. The BDE (Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungswirtschaft EV) highlighted a different aspect of the vote: Anne Baum-Rudischhauser, head of its offices in Brussels, saw it as an important new step towards the opening up of the market. Arnaldo Abruzzini of Eurochambres regretted that the European Parliament had not taken its cue from the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee and simply rejected the idea of a framework directive.