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This paper represents a summary of the essential results of a sequence of studies on “Privatization and Liberalization of the Services in the EU”, which had been compiled by the “Austrian Society of Policy Counselling and Development” (ÖGPP) during 2002 through 2004. This sequence of studies comprises a total of 25 individual reports, 600 pages in total. It consists of 15 partial reports on 15 important public service branches within EU-15 (the Railways and public local passenger transport, telecommunication, postal service, state-owned radio broadcasting and television, education, culture, drinking-water and sewage, waste industry, electric power, gas, health service, security, accommodation, pensions, undertakers) as well as of 10 additional partial reports on the branches mentioned within the 10 EU-new-member states. By this sequence of studies the interested reader receives not only an unparalleled but also a largely complete survey on privatization and liberalization of public services in all the 25 EU-member states comprising the last decades.

Summary in English (PDF)
Zusammenfassung (in German) (PDF)

Opinions held on the subject are contrad00_bilderictory. There are people saying: The Directive would indeed mean the final realisation of the Single European Market. It would be the key to open the market for an unhampered and Europe-wide provision of services. It would gradually phase out bureaucracy. Hundreds of thousands additional jobs would get created.
Protected sectors, such as public services touching on human existence would remain exempted. Austria would be one of the main beneficiaries. But there are others saying: The Directive would mean the most radical to date overall attack on the EU member states’ welfare systems. It would by no means mean the realisation of the internal market but the reduction of democracy. The consequences would be felt as massive dumping in wages and social welfare benefits and, in addition, the abandonment of the idea of human existence being provided for by public services. European consumers and environment would greatly remain unprotected because of either non-existence of or evading existing standards. Another consequence would be an enormous legal uncertainty. The “Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the services in the internal market” is well charged with emotion, for it could be apt to fundamentally change the lives of many of us living in Europe.  Now, what we did was to compile all the essentials on the Directive into a clear, easy and comprehensive summary, just now at your disposal.