01/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - The “Social Economy” intergroup of the European Parliament held a hearing of the French MEP Jacques Toubon (EPP-ED), in Brussels on Wednesday 30 January. He presented a report on the re-examination of the internal market. During his address, Mr Toubon said that he was in favour of a sectorial directive on social services of general interest (SSGI). He called upon the EP to present an own-initiative report on the question of authorisation for payment of the SSGI. Laurent Ghékière, a representative to the EU of the Social Union for Habitation and co-author of a report on the subject, said that this stance was an important step in moving the dossier forward. He also stressed that the own-initiative report recommended by Mr Toubon was an “entirely pragmatic” way of tackling this issue. “The authority for payment is a central point in this dossier, and we are going to try to make it a priority for the committee on employment, via the EPP”. He welcomed the end of head-on opposition between the EPP and the PES over this dossier. (L.B.S.)