(4 March 2010) The Berlusconi government adopted a law which demands of the regional and municipal governments that they reduce their ownership in the water companies. This law is controversial. Many municipalities, EPSU affiliate CGIL-FP and many water activists disagree and will organize a referendum to demand the repeal of the specific article which is the basis for the privatization. The organizers are planning a national demonstration on 20 March. Activisits in many places have (...)

(3 February 2010) Water activists, social action groups and trade unions from Europe and across the world met to consider the future work to defend and promote public water services. The groups unite many different struggles of workers and citizens to keep water public. EPSU Deputy General participated to discuss with several organizations and water activists the possibilities for Water as a Fundamental Human Right and learning from the experience of others when they organized their (...)

The Reclaiming Public Water network is organising a seminar 1-3 February 2010, Brussels. The seminar brings together water activists from Europe as well as many other continents. It assists in exchanging experiences and developing common approaches. EPSU and PSI do actively participate and work with this group.
Draft Programme

BERLIN, Jan 28, 2010 (IPS) - After the wave of de-privatisation of water services facilities that started across the world two years ago, municipalities in Europe are now buying back the electricity utilities they sold to private investors in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In Germany, numerous city and regional governments have already ended the privatisation of the electricity facilities, or are in negotiations with the private owners.
Around the Bavarian capital of Munich, some 500 km (...)

(7 January 2010) Aquiris, a waste water treatment company owned by Veolia Water and responsible for cleaning the waste water of Brussels, stopped treating the waste water of Brussels, 8 December. This caused an environmental disaster in the river Zenne when untreated waste water polluted the river. The facility is a so-called PPP. Public authorities and the company accuse each other over breach of contract. The company has installed new pumps and the Zenne is no longer being polluted. To (...)

Across the world organizations are participating in the Blue October week. The water activists stress that water should remain in public hands. The October week is chosen as 31 October 2004 the people of Uruguay voted to recognize water as a fundamental human right in their constitution. For-profit organizations are banned from supplying this public good. The European Water Network (for public water) of which EPSU is a member supports the Blue October week. EPSU is considering the follow (...)

(21 September 2009) Attac organized a strategy seminar 19-20 September in Paris. One of its workgroups is the newly created Aquattac network bringing together the different local chapters of Attac dealing with water issues.
Representatives of different other groups including Reclaiming Public Water Network, Italian Water Forum and other participated.
The group considered various issues including the role of water multinationals, European water policy, opposition to privatization and (...)

(7 September 2009) Public water management is an alternative to privatization argues this publication of Corporate Europe Observatory and Transnational Institute. The study examines a number of cases of European cities and towns were water services are run by public companies. A set of criteria are established to determine what can be called progressive public water management in Europe. They find their origin in the fundamental beliefs that water is a common good, that access to water is (...)

(20 July 2009) Transparency International, an organization fighting (government) corruption and seeking more transparency in decision-making, has published a new study on water privatization in the Czech Republic in the 1990’s. The study concludes that the water privatization did not happen in a transparent manner and that the Czech population continues to pay the price.
More on the press (...)

(18 May 2009) EPSU was active in the water activities during the European Social Forum in Malmo, September 2008. Several groups came together to found the European Network for Public Water. A Manifesto was published. EPSU discussed if it should support the Manifesto. The Standing Committee on Public Utilities decided to do so at its meeting 14 May 2009.
The Manifesto sets put a number of general principles that are considered important for Europe’s water policy and water sector. It includes (...)