“The main achievement of today’s vote for public services employers and providers is the recognition of the freedom of authorities to define, organise and finance SGEIs”, stated Valeria Ronzitti, General Secretary of CEEP. This is a major improvement from the initial drafts of the Directives and should give authorities the necessary room for maneuver when choosing the adequate tool for the provision of essential services to citizens.

When it comes to Concessions, CEEP acknowledges the clear recognition of public-public cooperation and the move from a strict application of the ECJ case law: “The EP made a first step in the right direction, but the benefits of private participation in such cooperation now need to be better taken into account”, added Valeria Ronzitti.

As per Public Procurement, “We welcome the simplification of the initial proposals, the flexibilisation of the instrument and the proportionate approach on social and environmental criteria, but progress still needs to be made in lightening the regime for social and healthcare services”.

However, the final picture remains complex for providers of public services. “Enterprises and authorities will need time to adapt to the new rules. The co-legislators must take the reality on the ground into account and ensure adequate transitory periods for implementation”, concluded Valeria Ronzitti.

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For further information, please contact:

Priya Klinkenberg- tel. +32 (0) 2 229 21 40

CEEP gathers enterprises and organisations from across Europe, both public and private, at national, regional and local level, which are public employers or providers of services of general interest. CEEP members contribute to more than 26%

of EU GDP and employ 30% of the EU workforce; CEEP is one of the three general corss-industry European Social Partners.