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 Helleryd Managing Director of KFS, The Swedish Organisation for Local Enterprises President of CEEP Local Enterprises Committee Erik Helleryd Managing Director of KFS, The Swedish Organisation for Local Enterprises President 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? Dont they out-compete private companies? Why not traditional administrative form? Isnt it a very small sector of no economic importance?

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

So why doesn´t everybody love local public enterprises?

In Sweden 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

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