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Re-municipalising municipal services in Europe

31 May, 2012
Source: 
EPSU - PSIRU
Privatisation, contracting out and outsourcing have been the dominant trends in public services. Now there is increasing evidence of trends in the opposite direction, according to a report from EPSU.

In a number of European countries, including Germany, France and the UK, municipalities are continuing to move towards remunicipalisation rather than privatisation, according to the EPSU-report "Re-municipalising municipal services in Europe".

Most of the remunicipalisations have taken place when an existing contract or concession with a private company has expired. The key reasons for the remunicipalisations are failures and problems with private sector performance.

And - contrary to what has been claimed - the remunicipalisations have reduced the costs. Municipalities in the UK, Germany and Finland all say that efficiency and cost issues are the most important factors for taking the services back.

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