Comment définir le service public à travers ses différentes facettes, missions et principes ?

This paper introduces key notions to public services in Belgium and Europe such as: collective interest, public interest and general interest, analysed in a historical and evolutionary perspective, and then presented and discussed in their present understanding. Particular emphasis is put on the French notions issued from the French law given their contribution in shaping European law which is regulating today an important part of the organisation of public services. Missions attributed to public services are then classified following a Matriochka model, on the basis on their scope/proximity to the general interest: missions of general interest, missions of public service, missions of universal service and, finally, missions of minimum service. The seven basic principles framing public services are also presented. The second part of the paper deals with the notion of public service under the European Union’s perspective. Here the concept of services of general interest (SGI) is introduced and shaded with other deriving notions such as: services of general economic interest (SGEI) and social services general interest (SSGI). Principles and values at the basis of the European notions are finally presented and analysed through a review of legislation.