Open Days 2006 Committee of the Regions

Brussels 9-12 October

Sustainable investments in

municipalities and regions:

How best to fulfil citizen´s needs

Erik HellerydManaging Director of KFS, The Swedish Organisation for Local EnterprisesPresident of CEEP Local Enterprises Committee

Erik HellerydManaging Director of KFS, The Swedish Organisation for Local EnterprisesPresident of CEEP Local Enterprises Committee

”For obtaining the goals of the Lisbon strategy Europe needs well

functioning and high quality infrastructure and services of general interest.

In a very large extent provided by local public enterprises.”

• Why do they exist at all? • Don’t they out-compete private

companies? • Why not traditional administrative form? • Isn’t it a very small sector of no economic

importance?

In Europé•16.000 companies•140 billion Euro in turnover•1.1 million employees•All providing services of general interest •All serving the public

In Europé•16.000 companies•140 billion Euro in turnover•1.1 million employees•All providing services of general interest •All serving the public

So why doesn´teverybody love

local public enterprises?

In Sweden• 1.700 companies• 25 per cent of the municipalities

turnover• 55 per cent of the total assets in

almost every Swedish municiplity (290)

• 10 regional round-table discussions• 150 participants• 50 municipalities led by the chairperson

of the municipal executive committee

• 500 municipal leaders and managing directors in a survey

• 950 articles in a press survey• Succesful local public enterprises

/Lunds University• Social reports for local public enterprises

/Uppsala University

Local level National level European level

Local elected repr.

Press

Leaders

Inhabitants

Parliament

Government

Ministries

National media

Commission/DGs

Council of Ministers

European Parliament

Court of Justice

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• Freedom of choice

• In-house

• Competition

• Local public enterprises have a special mission decided by the municipal council.

• Local public enterprises give priority to community benefit before commercial utility.

• Local public enterprises have a strong interest for a clear and well defined ownership control and concrete owner directives.

National organisations for local public enterprises in Europe

promoting ”Serving the public”

• VKU in Germany • FNSEM in France • Confservizi in Italy • VKÖ in Austria• KFS in Sweden