The Coronavirus outbreak provoked a global reassessment of values. It has placed the public sector, especially the healthcare systems at the heart of every society. The systemic importance of public healthcare systems has become more evident than ever.

Long before the crisis, CESI stood for more investment in the public sector – as a conditio sine qua non for the resilience of any society. Public services are essential to guarantee citizens’ fundamental rights. Public services set the frame for democracy, non-discrimination and the rule of law.  Public services guarantee the well-being of people. Public services are the glue that sticks our societies together.

But after the 2008 financial crisis, and even before that, public services suffered from significant budget and personnel cuts. And the capacity of public services to fulfil their general interest mission had been profoundly affected.

Yet one crisis after the other has shown: It is the public sector which is ‘essential’. It has most recently and dramatically been exhibited by the Covid crisis, but it was equally evident in other previously challenging times such in the aftermath of 9/11, the post-2008 financial and sovereign debt crisis, the 2015 migration crisis and the 2015-2016 terrorist crisis.

The public sector cares for, protects and supports the citizens, the society and the economy. It determines whether societies are sustainable or not. Strong societies require strong public services. And the implementation of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan requires that too.

Expenditures in public services are therefore not merely costs. They are investments in the future. And after years and decades of austerity, the EU now needs a ‘strong public service agenda’.

In line with the findings of a respective study of the European Policy Centre (EPC), CESI and the EPC will host a thereto related high-level conference on 5th of October 2021. The event will take stock of the lessons learnt from the pandemic – and propose a ‘strong public services-driven’ recovery model. More information about the event here.

More information about performing public services and performing public service personnel for the best possible implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights here.