Letta Report: A clear recognition of the essentiality of SGIs

On the occasion of the meeting of the European Council on 17 and 18 April, Enrico Letta presented his report on the Future of the Single Market, “Much More than a Market: Speed, Security, Solidarity – Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens”.

Commenting on the content of the report, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, said:

“SGI Europe warmly welcomes the focus put by Enrico Letta on Services of General Interest in his report. The proposals to reconcile the Single Market and the Cohesion Policy should help better balance the economic, social and environmental dimensions. In particular, SGIs have a central role in this endeavour and should be better acknowledged as key components of the EU competitiveness.”

“The report recognises that accessible, affordable, and high-quality SGIs across all EU regions will be crucial for addressing demographic challenges. But SGIs can do more than that: they are direct actors for job creation, productivity and competitiveness.”

“We are proud that SGI Europe’s call for an Action Plan for High-Quality SGIs in Europe has been taken up in the report: we will make sure this Action Plan properly reflects the holistic nature of SGIs that are referenced across the Letta report, from rail to healthcare, from telecoms to housing.”

“Ensuring a coherent approach to SGIs will make it easier for the EU to fully exploit their competitiveness potential, to finally recognise their added value and give them the means to play their vital roles, beyond fixing market failures or responding to unprecedented crises.”

Echoing Mr Letta's spirit of inclusiveness and consultations, SGI Europe organised a dedicated hearing in his presence on 7 December 2023, titled "Democracy in Action: Putting Citizens and SGIs at the Heart of the Single Market". This event allowed a direct exchange with SGI Europe members, partners from the SGIs Network, and citizens involved in the Conference on the Future of Europe and helped shape SGI Europe’s contribution to the Report.