Prague City Council, 19 October 2010
A properly defined, contracted and controlled public service:
= absence of incompatible State Aid prohibited by the EU
= a condition for the effective achievement of quality and legitimate prices for public services for the public sector and service users
The Public Services and State Aid 2010 conference will bring answers to highly relevant questions, which arise with services of general economic interest, even more so after adoption of the Lisbon Treaty and the European Union’s new option of issuing regulations with binding rules to secure a minimal standard in the provision of these services on the internal EU market.
Services of general economic interest are provided to the general public (the public is often dependent on these services, which is why they must be provided in its interest). Among other things, these include telecommunications, the gas and power industry, transportation, postal services, certain types of social services, waste management services, water supply and wastewater treatment, social housing, healthcare, radio and television broadcasting, public transit, airport and port services.
The conference will focus on applying the general rules ensuing from European Union law, also in the context of cases that occur during the provision of financial aid from EU funds. It will point out the results, implications and current legal and economic problems in the public services sector in relation to public contracts, concessions and State Aid. It will show examples of best practice in contracting and controlling public services, which are relevant not only in terms of the non-existence of incompatible State Aid prohibited by the EU; they are also in the social interest of effective enforcement of quality and a legitimate price for these services by the public sector, and secondarily by the users of these services.
Representatives of the public sector, European Commission, Office for the Protection of Economic Competition and leading consultants in the sector will deliver their presentations and opinions on the foregoing issues.
More information at: http://www.bids.cz/en/konference//109
Programme
Public Services and Public Support 2010 – Specialised Conference
Venue: Large Auditorium of the Prague City Hall, Mariánské náměstí 2, Prague 1
Conference programme:
8:15 Registration and welcome coffee
9:00 Opening word – Mgr. Jan Sixta, Czech Ministry of Regional Development
Economic substance of public services and options for its regulation
Ing. Mgr.Petr Štěpánek, Ph.D., proděkan Fakulty mezinárodních vztahů VŠE
Services of general economic interest – basic overview of legal regulation
Petr Križan, Office for the Protection of Economic Competition
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee break
Commission Evaluation Report 2010 regarding services of general economic interest and further legislative development in the EU
Odpovědný zástupce, European Commission, DG Competition
Case law of the European Court of Justice and ruling practice of the Commission in the area of public support for services of general economic interest
Daniel Weinhold, David Emr, Weinhold Legal v.o.s.
12:45 – 13:15 Lunch
Services of general economic interest in the Czech Republic after the Lisbon Treaty – possibilities of a “Czech solution” in a European context
Petr Dovolil, Mott MacDonald Praha, spol. s.r.o.
Rule of “due corporate governance” and OP EN (Operational Programme Environment) instruments
Jan Kříž, Director of the EU Funds Department, Czech Ministry of Environment
14:15 – 14:35 Coffee break
Implementation of public services regulation in rail and road passenger transportation in the Czech Republic and major challenges to the regulation of these services in the Czech Republic
Matěj Vácha, PELIKÁN KROFTA KOHOUTEK advokátní kancelář s.r.o.
Scope of permitted compensation for services of general economic interest and means of measuring acceptable profit
Tim Young, Mott MacDonald Praha, spol. s.r.o.
15:40 Discussion, conclusion of the conference
* The programme is currently being compiled and speakers are being addressed. Alteration of the programme reserved.
