Providing utility services as public services

Komunalno gospodarstvo kao osobito područje gospodarstva obuhvaća komunalne djelatnosti kojima se građanima i gospodarskim subjektima isporućuju javne usluge važne za neposredno ostvarivanje njihovih potreba: opskrba pitkom vodom, odvodnja i pročišćavanje otpadnih voda, prijevoz putnika u javnom prometu, održavanje čistoće, odlaganje komunalnog otpada, održavanje javnih površina, održavanje nerazvrstanih cesta, tržnice na malo, održavanje groblja i krematorija i prijevoz pokojnika, obavljanje dimnjačarskih poslova, javna rasvjeta. Komunalne djelatnosti mogu se pobliže odrediti kao gospodarske djelatnosti koje ne potpadaju pod zakone slobodnog tržišta, jer se njihova svrha, zbog njihova iznimna društvenog značenja, ne može ostvariti iskljućivo primjenom tržišnih zakonitosti. U obavljanju komunalnih djelatnosti mora se voditi računa o zahtjevima učinkovitosti i ekonomičnosti, s jedne strane, ali i o ostvarenju javnog interesa, utjelovljenog u svakoj javnoj službi, s druge strane.The author analyses utility services from their first appearance in towns and cities to thè activities considered to be utility services today. The importance of utility services as public semees is compared with the importance ofsemees of general interest in EC law. The performance of utility services in Croatia partially rests on the common principles ofperforming services ofgeneral interest in the EU - equality of access, continuity, security, quality ofservices, efficiency, affordability, transparency, protection of users and consumers and the environ- ment, and participation of citizens. The role ofpublic authorities in the performance ofservices ofgeneral interest in EC law and utility services in Croatia has been analysed. The role includes general régulation (the principles of performing utility services, the conditions for their performance, obligatory utility services, the System offinancing utility Services and construction of utility facilities and communal infrastructure, responsibility for the performance of utility Services); supervision of utility semees; and monitoring and évaluation of effects in utility field. Certain amendments to the existing régulations in this importantfield have been suggested with thè purpose ofimproving thè System of utility semees in the Republic of Croatia