Launch of the EU Platform “Services of General Interest facing COVID-19”

On 27 March 2020, CEEP, together with its sectoral members HOSPEEM (healthcare), EFEE (education) and EBU (public service broadcasters); PSEF members CER (railways) and UITP (public transport); and partner organisations EASPD (services for persons with disabilities) and HOPE (hospital and healthcare), have launched a new platform “Services of General Interest facing COVID-19”, which is accessible here.
Featuring examples and practices from sectors such as healthcare, telecommunications, housing, public transport, social services, education, administration, energy or water, this page will be regularly updated, highlighting both the short-term effects of the ongoing crisis on providers of those essential services, as well as highlighting proposals for long-term political solutions.

Ahead of the launch of the platform, Valeria Ronzitti, CEEP General Secretary, commented:

“SGIs providers work tirelessly to ensure that essential and high-quality services are still available to citizens and businesses. Healthcare providers are, evidently, first in line but all SGIs around Europe have been directly hit by the coronavirus spread, and this cannot be understated.”

“This platform, as well as the network of associations we are building to support it, intends to highlight these consequences, ranging from adapting the management of the staff to facing sharp and brutal changes in the usage of the services.”

“By highlighting to the EU institutions the impacts of the crisis on the ground, the platform will also serve the purpose of contributing to shape the coordinated exit strategy and the comprehensive recovery plan the EU Commission has been tasked with yesterday by the European Council.”