Rethinking the Acquis Communautaire of Services of General Interest: Beyond the Acquis+ Glossary

Executive Summary

• The Treaty of Lisbon fundamentally reformed the framework for services of general interest. Its revision was linked to the assumption that the act of services of general interest could at this point be closed.

• However, the need to take account of services of general interest particularly in forthcoming legislative initiatives seems to have been lost sight of. In 2013, SGI Europe published for the first time the glossary "Acquis+"  on the basis of the changes in the Treaty of Lisbon, which served as a guide for the interpretation of the concept in EU law and primary and secondary legislation.

• Taking into account societal transformations and the changes in competition policy and the internal market, SGI Europe observes that the special and protected function of services of general interest is not always sufficiently considered. SGI Europe therefore recommends rethinking the acquis communautaire of services of general interest and better integrating into European legislative initiatives.

• As integral part of the ongoing changes, we particularly call for a recognition of the Acquis + in the following fields:
  • Safeguarding state resources
  • Smart Cities and data sovereignty
  • The specific role of public undertakings as employers.