04/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - Neelie Kroes' hearing was a disappointment to many MEPs (see EUROPE of 30 September, p.10, and 1 October, p.9). The Commissioner-designate was somewhat evasive about the role of the Parliament on the question of services of general interest and she did not specify whether it was necessary, or not, to have a framework directive on this. In a press release, the secretary general of the European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation (CEEP), Rainer Plassmann, replied that the future policy on services of general interest must be discussed as democratically as possible and that it is "essential to involve the Parliament in all decisions". By affirming that the practice of services of general interest provided by local public companies should not be extended, Ms Kroes seemed to irritate Mr Plassmann who commented: "The regional and national local authorities must have the right to manage their services as they think fit in the best interests of their citizens, consumers and the economy".