Breaking story on Water Forum outcomes

(17 March 2009) At the opening of the World Water Forum this week, European trade unions will present damning evidence of the EU’s water policies. They will demonstrate that the EU drive to commercialise water services is based on a flawed model; "The Commission’s support for private sector involvement in water services is counterproductive and based more on market ideology than fact", said Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary. He continued; "90% of the world water is delivered by public companies, so why promote the expansion of the 10% that doesn’t even invest its own money back into the service".

The Commission’s position is opposed by a large network of trade unions, environmental organisations, social action groups and water activists in Europe and across the globe. They are asking the EU to support the right to water and to promote public-public partnerships as the model best suited to deliver this. They also seek support from the EU to organise future World Water Forums under the auspices of the United Nations and to keep water services out of trade agreements. Each of these demands is echoed by a growing group of governments in the developing world.

EPSU has written to the leader of the delegation of the European Parliament to the World Water Forum - Ms. Gutierrez-Cortines MEP (Christian Democrat, Spain) - requesting the EP delegation support the global society and  government platform of demands and raising its concerns about the role of the European Commission in promoting public-private partnerships.

Mr. Goudriaan added: “Supporting these public water operators brings us closer to meeting the needs of billions who are without regular drinking water and sanitation services. Private companies cannot be allowed to profit from this most basic need."

EPSU is represented by its global sister federation PSI (Public Services International) at the World Water Forum. The PSI team comprises over 60 trade unionists from across the globe, making one of the largest civil society delegations.

Contacts: Present at the World Water Forum: David Boys, + 33 60709 2647

Present at EPSU Brussels: Jan Willem Goudriaan, + 32 2 2501080

For more information on EPSU’s water work www.epsu.org/r/38

"EPSU is the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It is the largest federation of the ETUC. 8 million public service workers from over 200 trade unions are members. They organise workers in the energy, water and waste sectors, health and social services and local and national administration ".

EPSU background note