Contract law, discrimination and european integration

The privatisation of public services necessitates reflections on the suitability of private contract law for community tasks-the general theme of the 1997 Porvoo conference. The principle of equality is of utmost importance in the provision of public services or services of general interest. The state or its agents as providers of services are bound by this principle. Private companies, however, may be primarily driven by profit maximising and thus neglect common goals such as equal distribution. Profits may be easier to maximise by differentiating between customers.