Modernising Social Services in the Single Market: Putting the Market into the Social
Accepted for presentation at the "Fostering Growth: Reinforcing the Internal Market" conference, organised by CEU San Pablo in Madrid, Spain on the 28-29 October 2013.
27 Pages Posted: 17 Sep 2013 Last revised: 6 Nov 2013
Date Written: September 15, 2013
Abstract
This paper takes the UK reform and modernisation of health care as a case study to examine how far Member States must pay attention to EU economic law in the reform of public services (SGEI) to modernise such services in the interest of cutting back on public expenditure and introducing efficiency and competition in their supply. This case study is relevant both for Member States (directly) running a national health system (like the UK) and those relying on private medical provision totally or partially funded through insurance mechanisms (such as the Netherlands), since it ultimately reflects on the impact that market competition can have in the effective provision of health care as an SGEI.
Keywords: EU Single Market, Public Procurement, State Aid, Competition, UK Health Care Reform, Social Economy, Services of General Interest, Public Sector Reform
JEL Classification: H57, K21, K23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation