European Parliament resolution supports public ownership and water management

The text that was approved indicates majority support in the Parliament for the demands made by almost 2 million citizens in the first ever successful European Citizens Initiative - ECI. 

The final approved report is available here.

The approved text is designed to further pressure a neo-Liberal European Commission, which has been trying to ignore, and even counter the results of the 2014 Water ECI. 

The approved text makes some important recommendations to the Commission :

• reaffirms that water is not a commodity but a public good
• recognizes the failure of privatization to increase access and equity, and demands that the Commission cease to propose and impose any further privatizations (singling out the Troika’s privatization impositions on Greece)
• calls for removing water and sanitation from all trade agreements, particularly TTIP and TISA
• calls for transparency, accountability and participation in all aspects of water management
• considers that the option of re-municipalization of water services should be guaranteed in the future
• supports public-public partnerships in development aid
• recognizes the national needs of municipalities including for financial technical and training support

Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of Public Services International says, “I stand with EPSU and all the trade unions and civil society organizations in Europe that have made this possible. It is one more important step in an ongoing fight to ensure universal access to quality public services for all. The importance of this vote extends beyond the borders of Europe, as the EU is the single-largest donor in the water and sanitation sector. However, this is not the final victory, and we will continue to put pressure, wherever required.”