The European Legal Framework for the Provision of Services of General Interest/Public Services has been in a state of transformation since the early 1990s, causing profound effects on the social and economic policies pursued by the Member States. This examination of the impact of EC internal market, competition, state aid and procurement law on the provision of these services focuses in particular on the fields of health services, social services and local public services. It comprises horizontal studies on these subjects which take into account the most recent case law and community legislation from the European Court of Justice, and includes country reports from ten different Member States. The authors of the individual contributions are well-known experts in their fields. This book is of great interest to academics, practitioners, government officials and policymakers dealing with EC affairs. Markus Krajewski is a guest Professor at the University of Bremen, Germany and on leave from the University of Potsdam, Germany. Ulla Neergaard is a Professor of EU Market Law at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Johan van de Gronden is a Professor of European Law at the Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Introduction Markus Krajewski, Ulla Neergaard and Johan van de Gronden; Part I. Concepts and Principles: 1. ''Services of general economic interest'': the nature of the beast Ulla Neergaard; 2. What does Article 86 EC actually do? Gareth Davies; 3. Taking stock: the EU institutions and services of general economic interest Stephan Wernicke; 4. The value of solidarity in European public services law Malcolm Ross; Part II. Financing and Organising Services of General Interest: 5. The Altmark case and the consequences Jean-Marc Thouvenin; 6. State aid control over public services: a view from the Court Thomas von Danwitz; 7. Problems of cross-subsidisation Michael Fehling; 8. The conceptual links between state aid and public procurement in the financing of services of general economic interest Christopher Bovis; 9. The never-ending story of ''in house'' procurement Walter Frenz and Phillipp Schleissing; Part III. Regulating Services of General Interest: 10. Modernising healthcare: pilgrimage for the Holy Grail? Erika Szysczcak; 11. The user-provider relationship: informed choice and user protection through private law Peter Rott; 12. The services directive and services of general (economic) interest Johan van de Gronden; 13. Towards a general EC framework instrument related to SGEI? Political considerations and legal constraints Stephane Rodrigues; Part IV. Experiences in the Member States: 14. France Magali Dreyfus; 15. Italy Elisabetta Bergamini; 16. Spain Luis Arroyo Jimenez; 17. Germany Sigrid Boysen; 18. United Kingdom Nina Boeger and Tony Prosser; 19. Netherlands Saskia Lavrijssen and Sybe de Vries; 20. Sweden Tom Madell; 21. Poland Ewa Gromnicka; 22. Bulgaria Maria Schueler.