Europe

On 10 December, Human Rights Day, mayors from 10 major European cities in seven different countries launch an appeal to their citizens to support the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) calling for the implementation of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation into European law.

Irish trade union representatives have formed an alliance to defend public ownership of water services in Ireland.

Municipal employees in Finland have great faith in job sustainability. According to a new book only three per cent of municipal employees fear losing their jobs.

Threats are posed to public services in the negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada.

State ownership will provide a faster and more uniform expansion of the transmission networks, says German EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger.

In Spain a heated debate is raging over the legality of a recent concession award to Spanish water services company Agbar.

A new Turkish law that violates fundamental workers’ rights has passed the Turkish Parliament and is now awaiting the president's approval. In a letter from October 25, global trade unions urge the Turkish president Abdullah Gül to veto the new trade union law.