What are Services of General Interest

According to its European definition, a service of general interest is a service, which "public authorities class as being of general interest and subject to specific public service obligations". These services have also been identified as central to the European model of society upon which the Union is built. European societies are committed to the general interest services because they meet basic needs.

At European level, the services that have until today been a focus of attention are the network services, namely transport, energy (electricity and gas), water, telecommunications and postal services.

There is a discussion within the European Union on differences or similarities between services of general interest and social services of general interest.

Social Services of general interest can be grouped in two broad types of services, the functions and organisation of which can vary a great deal across the EU: On the one hand, statutory and complementary social security schemes and on the other hand, other services provided directly to the person that play a preventive and socially cohesive role, such as social assistance services, employment and training services, social housing, child care or long-term care services. These services play a vital role in our societies and provide an important contribution to the fulfilment of basic EU objectives such as social, economic and territorial cohesion, a high level of employment, social inclusion and economic growth.

Social services of general interest are a specific part of services of general interest, which also encompass large network industries (energy, telecommunications, audiovisual broadcasting and postal services), water supply, waste management, education or health.

Important links

Glossary[http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/...]

Lisbon Treaty http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/index_en.htm

2005/842/EC Commission Decision of 28 November 2005 on the application of Article 86(2) of the EC Treaty to State aid in the form of public service compensation granted to certain undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest (notified under document number C(2005) 2673) http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32005D0842:EN:NOT

White Paper http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52004DC0374:EN:NOT

Green Paper http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52003DC0270:EN:NOT

COM 96/443 Communication from the Commission on the Services of General Interest in Europe http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/serv_gen/serv_int_gen06_en.pdf

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS: Accompanying the Communication on "A single market for 21st century Europe" http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2007:0725:FIN:EN:PDF

COM(2007)724 Communication of General interest http://ec.europa.eu/services_general_interest/interest_en.htm

Progress since the 2004 White Paper on services of general interest http://ec.europa.eu/services_general_interest/docs/sec_2007_1515_en.pdf

Social services of general interest http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/ssgi_en.htm

COM (2006) 177 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION Implementing the Community Lisbon programme: Social services of general interest in the European Union http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/docs/social_protection/com_2006_177_en.pdf