{The Greens have been calling for a framework directive on services of general interest for a long time and welcome this initiative from ETUC, which will hopefully add to the momentum. Only by clearly setting out the goals and purposes of public services will it be possible to protect them from being undermined by competition law or internal market rules.
In the absence of a framework directive, we are now in the regrettable situation where the Services Directive will serve as the horizontal instrument for the defining the nature of services of general economic interest in the EU. The Greens would like to reiterate their call for a thorough evaluation of the current liberalisation of the services sector and for the Commission to propose a legislative text outlining how to protect and promote services of general interest.}
28 November 2006, European Parliament