SOTEU: Europe’s independence depends on resilient Services of General Interest

Today, President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament, setting out the Commission’s priorities for the year ahead. The President placed economic renewal at the centre of her address, focusing on affordable energy and electrification, faster investment and permitting, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and simplification. She also highlighted the Right to Stay, care and housing as key ingredients of the summit, which will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Delivering on these priorities will depend on Europe’s capacity to invest in and modernise its Services of General Interest and critical infrastructure. SGI Europe calls for the 2027 Commission Work Programme to recognise their essential contribution to Europe’s competitiveness, security and cohesion.

Reacting to the address, Valeria Ronzitti, General Secretary of SGI Europe, said:

“President von der Leyen highlighted that staying in a region, care and housing are rights and not privileges, but making those rights real depends on the accessibility, affordability and quality of services of general interest across the EU. The announced European Care Deal, the Housing Act and the renewed commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights must translate into tangible improvements across Europe’s territories. This speaks directly to SGI Europe’s Freedom to Stay: people and businesses need SGIs to be able to remain, invest and thrive in the place of their choice.”

“The call to invest faster in grids, storage and connections reflects the scale of Europe’s infrastructure challenge. At the same time, SGIs must be prepared for heatwaves, water scarcity and other climate risks. The forthcoming climate resilience framework, Heatwave Plan and European Water Initiative should be developed with SGIs providers from the outset.”

“Europe needs both faster delivery and responsible transformation. Simpler, more coherent rules should unlock long-term investment without weakening social, environmental acquis or the general interest. AI must be deployed with human agency, investment in skills and strong social dialogue so that it supports quality services and quality employment.”

SGI Europe stands ready to work with the European institutions to translate these priorities into workable policies and sustainable investment.