Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Social Services of General Interest in Germany

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Social Services of General Interest in the EU

Part of the book series: Legal Issues of Services of General Interest ((LEGAL))

  • 883 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter presents a brief overview of the organisation and regulation of SSGI in Germany. It locates the subject in its historical context (Bismarckian Welfare State), but also shows how the current regime deviates from its classical model. The chapter shows that the German system always depended on private service suppliers for the provision of SSGIs and that private sector involvement was not only caused by EU law and recent reforms. The chapter also discusses how recent reforms have changed the old system which may have implications on the application of EU law, in particular the application of competition and procurement law.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For details Becker 2010a, pp. 313 et seq.

  2. 2.

    See for possible consequences of globalisation and Europeanisation in general Scharpf and Schmidt 2000, pp. 310, 335 et seq.

  3. 3.

    But see also Supiot 2010, pp. 38 et seq.

  4. 4.

    See for a categorisation of European welfare states Obinger et al. 2005, pp. 1, 23 et seq.

  5. 5.

    See also Schmidt 2005.

  6. 6.

    See Westerhäll and Köhler in: Schlachter et al. 2005, p. 67 et seq. and p. 85 et seq.

  7. 7.

    See Articles 20(1) and 28(1) of the German Constitution (Basic Law—Grundgesetz).

  8. 8.

    See for the historical development Zöllner 1982, pp. 1, 9 et seq.

  9. 9.

    See for the ground-breaking pension reform of 1957, Hockerts 1980, pp. 320 et seq.

  10. 10.

    Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on Services in the Internal Market, OJ 2006 L 376/36.

  11. 11.

    It corresponds with the Commission, Communication from the Commission, Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: Social Services of General Interest in the European Union, COM(2006) 117 final, 26 April 2006, p. 4, which defines social services—apart from health services—as ‘statutory and complementary social security schemes “and ”other essential services provided directly to the person’.

  12. 12.

    See Rixen 2010a, pp. 5 et seq.

  13. 13.

    See for example the different contributions in the non-comprehensive work of Evers et al. 2011.

  14. 14.

    The term ‘soziale Dienste’ is mentioned in Sect. 17 para 1 No. 2 of Social Code Book I in accordance with the concept followed within this project: it simply means all (personal) social services needed in order to provide social benefits.

  15. 15.

    For details Becker 2010c, pp. 607, 614 et seq.

  16. 16.

    Fundamentally, but slightly different, Zacher 1987, pp. 571, 583 et seq.

  17. 17.

    E.g. Articles 6 and 15 of Bavarian Law on School Financing (Bayerisches Schulfinanzierungsgesetz), GVBl. 2000, S. 455.

  18. 18.

    With a specific constitutional background, see Article 7 para 4 Basic Law (Grundgesetz).

  19. 19.

    S. 22 et seq. of Social Code Book (Sozialgesetzbuch) VIII.

  20. 20.

    E.g. Articles 18 et seq. of Bavarian Law on Child Education and Care (Bayerisches Kinderbildungs- und Betreuungsgesetz), GVBl. 2005, S. 236.

  21. 21.

    See Law on Housing Subsidies (Wohngeldgesetz).

  22. 22.

    But not without some sort of state subsidies (Wohnungsbauförderung) regulated (or not) by state laws.

  23. 23.

    See infra Sect. 19.4.1.

  24. 24.

    Article 56 TFEU.

  25. 25.

    An example of a misleading view: COM(2006) 117 final, p. 5: ‘general aspects of this modernisation process can be seen… the outsourcing of public sector tasks to the private sector, with the public authorities becoming regulators, guardians of regulated competition and effective organisation at national, local or regional level’.

  26. 26.

    For a detailed analysis, see Becker et al. 2011.

  27. 27.

    On the background of the disputable, but standing jurisprudence according to which social activities have a different quality compared to economic ones, see first CJEU, Joined Cases C-159/91 and C-160/91 Poucet and Pistre [1993] ECR I-637; most recently CJEU, Case C-350/07 Kattner Stahlbau [2009] ECR I-1513.

  28. 28.

    CJEU, Case C-205/03 FENIN [2006] ECR I-6295, para 26. See for an analysis Krajewski 2007, p. 111 et seq.

  29. 29.

    For details Becker et al. 2011.

  30. 30.

    Directive 2004/18 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2001 on the Coordination of Procedures for the Award of Public Works Contracts, Public Supply Contracts and Public Service Contracts, OJ 2004 L 134/114.

  31. 31.

    CJEU, Case C-300/07 Oymanns [2009] ECR I-4779.

  32. 32.

    CJEU, Case 274/09 Krankentransport Stadler [decided on 10 March 2011, nyr], paras 29 et seq.

  33. 33.

    See Sormani-Bastian 2007; Heinemann 2009; Engler 2010; Lange 2011; Thüsing and Forst 2011.

  34. 34.

    See Becker 2004, pp. 846 et seq.

  35. 35.

    See Becker 2005, pp. 3 et seq.

  36. 36.

    Through the Law on Enforcement of Competition in the Statutory Sickness Insurance (Gesetz zur Stärkung des Wettbewerbs in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung—GKV-WSG) of 26 March 2007, Bundesgesetzblatt (BGBl.) I, 378.

  37. 37.

    For its constitutionality see German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG), decisions (E) 123, 186.

  38. 38.

    Viertes Gesetz für moderne Dienstleistungen am Arbeitsmarkt v. 24.12.2003, BGBl. I, 2954.

  39. 39.

    See Becker 2008, pp. 39 et seq.

  40. 40.

    In the framework of the long term care insurance, private providers have clear priority over public ones, s. 11 Para 2 s. 3 of SGB XI.

  41. 41.

    CJEU, Case C-41/90 [1991] ECR I-1979.

  42. 42.

    See e.g. s. 78b para 2 of SGB VIII, s. 75 para 2 s. 3 of SGB XII.

  43. 43.

    Rixen 2010b, pp. 53, 67 et seq.; see in general von Boetticher 2003.

  44. 44.

    See Becker 2010b, pp. 11 et seq.

  45. 45.

    E.g. Article 51 para 2 of Bavarian Law on Administrative Districts (Landkreisordnung), GVBl. 1998, S. 826.

  46. 46.

    See Becker 2001, pp. 7 et seq.

  47. 47.

    CJEU, Case C-264/01 et al. AOK Bundesverband et al. [2004] ECR I-2493.

  48. 48.

    See supra Sect. 19.4.2a); it has to be stressed though that the respective state monopoly already had been discussed for internal reasons before, see Walwei 1993, pp. 285 et seq.

  49. 49.

    S. 13 paras 4–6, s. 140e of SGB V.

  50. 50.

    S. 1 para 4 No. 1 Law on Crime Victims (Opferentschädigungsgesetz) (BGBl. I 1985, S. 1).

  51. 51.

    See supra Sect. 19.3.3

  52. 52.

    Article 107 TFEU.

  53. 53.

    See Cremer, GesR 2005, S. 337 ff.; Becker 2007, p. 169 et seq.

  54. 54.

    For details Becker 2010d, p. 89, 105 et seq.

  55. 55.

    See Becker 2011, p. 19 et seq. with further references.

References

  • Becker U (2001) Maßstäbe für den Wettbewerb unter den Kranken- und Pflegekassen (Standards for competition among sickness and care funds). Soziale Sicherheit und Wettbewerb, Schriften des Deutschen Sozialrechtsverbands (SDSRV) 48:7 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2004) Private und betriebliche Altersvorsorge zwischen Sicherheit und Selbstverantwortung (Private and occupational old-age insurance between security and self-determination), Juristenzeitung (JZ), pp 846 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2005) German health and long-term care insurance—legal aspects. In: The role of private actors in social security. MPISoc Working paper 1/2005, pp 3 et seq. Available at: www.mpisoc.mpg.de

  • Becker U (2007) EU-Beihilfenrecht und soziale Dienstleistungen (European state aid law and social services), Neue Zeitschrift für Sozialrecht (NZS), pp 169 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2008) Sozialmodell und Menschenbild in der Hartz-IV Gesetzgebung (Social model and idea of man in the “Hartz IV”-Legislation). In: Behrends O, Schumann E (eds) Gesetzgebung, Menschenbild und Sozialmodell im Familien- und Sozialrecht, Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Berlin, New York, pp 39 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2010a) Der Sozialstaat in der Europäischen Union (The Social State in the European Union). In: Becker U, Hockerts H, Tenfelde K (eds) Sozialstaat Deutschland—Geschichte und Gegenwart, Dietz, Bonn, pp 313 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2010b) Funktionen und Steuerung von Wahlmöglichkeiten und Wettbewerb im Gesundheitswesen (Functions and steering of options of choice and competition). In: Becker U, Ross F, Sichert M (eds) Wahlmöglichkeiten und Wettbewerb in der Krankenhausversorgung, Steuerungsinstrumente in Deutschland, den Niederlanden, der Schweiz und den USA im Rechtsvergleich, Nomos, Baden–Baden, pp 11 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2010c) Sozialrecht und Sozialrechtswissenschaft (Social law and social law studies). Zeitschrift für Öffentliches Recht (ZÖR), vol 65. pp 607 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2010d) Standards und Prinzipien des Europäischen Sozialrechts (Standards and principles of european social law). Sozialrecht in Europa SDSRV, pp 59:89 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U (2011) The Open Method of Coordination in the field of pensions—interim results from a scientific point of view. In: Pensions in Europe. The open method of coordination in the field of pensions—outcome and prospects. Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) Schriften Bd, vol 92. pp 19 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker U/Meeßen/Neueder/Schlegelmilch/Schön/Vilaclara (2011) Strukturen und Prinzipien der Leistungserbringung im Sozialrecht (Structures and principles of the provision of services in social law), Vierteljahresschrift für Sozialrecht (VSSR)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cremer W (2005) Krankenhausfinanzierung im europarechtlichen Kontext (Financing Hospitals in the European context), Gesundheitsrecht, GesR, pp 337 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Engler U (2010) Die Leistungserbringung in den Sozialgesetzbüchern II, III, VIII und XII im Spannungsverhältnis zum europäischen und nationalen Vergaberecht (Providing services in Social Code Books II, III, VIII and XII between European and national procurement law), Nomos, Baden–Baden

    Google Scholar 

  • Evers A, Heinze R, Olk T (eds) (2011) Handbuch soziale Dienste (Handbook social services). VS Verlag, Wiesbaden

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinemann D (2009) Die Erbringung sozialer Dienstleistungen durch Dritte nach deutschem und europäischem Vergaberecht (Providing social services through third parties according to German and European procurement law). Nomos, Baden–Baden

    Google Scholar 

  • Hockerts H (1980) Sozialpolitische Entscheidungen im Nachkriegsdeutschland (Social policy decisions in Germany after the war). Nomos, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Krajewski M (2007) Non-economic activities in upstream and downstream markets and the scope of competition law after FENIN ELRev 32:111 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Lange H (2011) Sozialrecht und Vergaberecht (Social law and procurement law), Baden–Baden

    Google Scholar 

  • Obinger H, Castles F, Leibfried S (2005) Introduction. In: Obinger H, Castles F, Leibfried S (eds) Federalism and the welfare state. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 1 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Rixen S (2010a) Die Dienstleistungsrichtlinie—ein trojanisches Pferd zur „Deregulierung“sozialer Dienstleistungen? (The Services Directive—A trojan horse to deregulate social services?) Zeitschrift für Europäisches Arbeits- und Sozialrecht (ZESAR), pp 5 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Rixen S (2010B) Die Bedeutung des EU-Wirtschaftsrechts für die Erbringung von Sozialleistungen (The relevance of European economic law for the provision of social services), Soziale Sicherheit und Wettbewerb, Schriften des Deutschen Sozialrechtsverbands (SDSRV), vol 59. pp 53 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharpf W, Schmidt V (2000) Conclusions. In: Scharpf W, Schmidt V (eds) Welfare and work in the open economy, vol I. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 310 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlachter M, Becker U, Igl G (eds) (2005) Funktion und rechtliche Ausgestaltung zusätzlicher Alterssicherungssysteme (Function and legal implementation of additional old-age security systems). Nomos, Baden–Baden

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt V (2005) Sozialpolitik in Deutschland (Social policy in Germany), 3rd edn. VS Verlag, Wiesbaden

    Google Scholar 

  • Sormani-Bastian L (2007) Vergaberecht und Sozialrecht (Procurement law and social law). Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, u.a,  

    Google Scholar 

  • Supiot A (2010) L’esprit de Philadelphie: la justice sociale face au marché total. Seuil, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Thüsing G, Forst G (2011) Europäisches Vergaberecht und nationales Sozialversicherungsrecht (European procurement law and national social insurance law). Duncker & Humbolt, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Boetticher A (2003) Die frei-gemeinnützige Wohlfahrtspflege und das Europäische Beihilfenrecht (Non-profit welfare provision and European State Aud Law), Nomos, Baden–Baden

    Google Scholar 

  • Walwei U (1993) Zum Regulierungsbedarf bei Zulassung privater Arbeitsvermittlung (The need to regulate the access of private employment placement services). Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (MittAB), pp 285 et seq. Available at: http://doku.iab.de/mittab/1993/1993_3_mitt-ab_wal-wei.pdf

  • Zacher H (1987) Grundtypen des Sozialrechts (Basic types of social law). In: Fürst W, Herzog R, Umbach D (eds) Festschrift für Zeidler, vol 1, Berlin, New York, pp 571 et seq

    Google Scholar 

  • Zöllner D (1982) Germany. In: Köhler P, Zacher H and Patington M (eds) The evolution of social insurance 1881–1981, London, New York, pp 1 et seq

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Sozialrecht und Sozialpolitik, Amalienstraße 33, 80799, Munich, Germany

    Ulrich Becker

  2. Law Faculty of the Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany

    Ulrich Becker

Authors
  1. Ulrich Becker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrich Becker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, Studiestræde 6, Copenhagen K, 1455, Denmark

    Ulla Neergaard

  2. , School of Law, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom

    Erika Szyszczak

  3. , Faculty of Law, Radboud University, Comeniuslaan 4, Nijmegen, 6525 HP, Netherlands

    Johan Willem van de Gronden

  4. , Fachbereich Rechtswissenschaft, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schillerstraße 1, Erlangen, 91054, Germany

    Markus Krajewski

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 T.M.C. ASSER PRESS, The Hague, The Netherlands, and the editors

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Becker, U. (2013). Social Services of General Interest in Germany. In: Neergaard, U., Szyszczak, E., van de Gronden, J., Krajewski, M. (eds) Social Services of General Interest in the EU. Legal Issues of Services of General Interest. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-876-7_19

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Societies and partnerships

Search

Navigation