| Series Title | European Voice |
|---|---|
| Series Details | 10/10/96, Volume 2, Number 37 |
| Publication Date | 10/10/1996 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 10/10/1996 CONSUMER Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino has launched a public debate on whether some bank services should be subject to minimum standards for availability, price and quality. Bonino suggests that certain services provided by the banks, such as ordinary current accounts and the ability to make payments, have become indispensable for everyday life and could therefore be classified as being of 'general interest'. Her comments are set to widen the current debate over what services qualify as essential and whether they should be afforded special treatment in the new EU treaty which emerges from the current Intergovernmental Conference. France and Belgium are pushing for a re-write of the Treaty of Rome competition rules to make specific mention of the key role of public services. Other countries, and Competition Commissioner Karel van Miert, warn such a clause could be used as a Trojan horse to stall moves to open the market. |
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| Subject Categories | Business and Industry, Internal Markets |
