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After a company is privatized, it is usually trimmed exclusively to generate the highest possible profits. After privatization, the profits go exclusively to the private shareholders instead of benefitting the public in general. However, if the private company makes losses or even has to file for bankruptcy, the public sector is asked to intervene again in a manner, that is most of the times pretty pricy, to save the day - because water supply or energy supply e. g. cannot simply be dispensed with.

Services of general interest are focused on serving the common good. This means that essential public services are available to all people at affordable prices. Private companies, on the other hand, mainly focus on generating the biggest profit possible. An offered service, that is not profitable enough, is of no interest to private operators.

The term (re-)municipalization refers to the (re-)purchase of a company by municipalities (or municipally owned companies).

In Austria, services of general interest are still predominantly provided by the public sector. In many other European countries though, water, energy supply, the housing sector and public transport have been sold off to private companies on a large scale. By and large however, Austria has resisted these privatizations of services of general interest.

Services of general interest ensure a high quality of life in Vienna. This is made possible above all by affordable prices for housing and public transport. This leaves the Viennese with more money for "the fine things in life". A recent study shows that the entire metropolitan area benefits from this.