The concession for services is a kind of partnership between the public sector and a (usually) private company. Concessions are used in sectors that affect EU citizens’ quality of life. Examples: road and rail transport, port and airport services, motorway maintenance and management, waste management, energy and heating services, leisure facilities and car parks. Concessions permit private capital and know-how to complement public resources and enable new investment in public infrastructure and services without increasing public debt.  The difference with a public contract is that: in a public contract, a company is paid a fixed amount for completing the required work or providing a service. Example: a private company builds and manages a motorway for a fixed price. In a concession, a company is remunerated mostly through being permitted to run and exploit the work or service and is exposed to a potential loss on its investment. Example: a private company builds and manages a motorway and is remunerated through tolls, running the risk that the revenue generated will not cover its investment and other costs incurred. With such a concession there is an obligation for the contractor (concessionaire) to operate an obligation, so the service must be performed. The operating risk lies with the concessionaire. The concessionaire acquires an exclusive right to offer its services within a defined area. If the exploitation risk does not lie with the contractor, it is an ordinary public contract.