Water is a common good, a right for everyone. The organizers of the Right2Water campaign urgently requested the European Commission to guarantee access to water as a real human right and to ban the liberalization of water services in Europe. This is the promotional debate open to the opinion of European citizens held in Parliament. Finally, EU citizens can make their voices heard.
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THEwater it's a common good, for an right for everyone. The organizers of the Right2Water campaign urgently requested the European Commission to guarantee access to water as a real human right and to ban the liberalization of water services in Europe. This is the first open debate to the opinion of European citizens held at the Parliament. Finally, EU citizens can make their voices heard.
The hearing took place yesterday, Monday 17 February 2014, and is part of the project European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), dedicated to European citizens' initiatives. MEPs have come out in favor of the citizens' point of view, stressing that access to water is a fundamental right. According to some, however, the rules on the supply of drinking water should remain the responsibility of individual states.
The Right2Water group has almost reaped 2 million signatures through a petition created to ask the European Commission to present a law valid for ensure universal access to drinking water throughout the European Union, with the opportunity to present their requests at the first open hearing at the European Citizens' Initiative. The ECI was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty to give European citizens the opportunity to contribute to the international agenda. The proposed initiatives must collect at least 1 million signatures and obtain approval from at least 7 of the 28 Member States, within 12 months from the date of registration. The signature collection launched a year ago is reaping the first successes e the representatives of the citizens have finally obtained a European hearing.
The meeting was organized by the Environment Commission and saw the participation of representatives of the Right2Water citizens' committee, MEPs and the European Commission, which will prepare a response written about it by next March 20.
Parliament recognized that water is a shared resource for humanity and a public good whose access should be a fundamental and universal right. But more needs to be done and involve all parties involved to protect water resources and guarantee the right of all citizens to safe drinking water. as stated by Matthias Groote, president of the Environment Commission.
According to the Right2Water committee, the supply and access of drinking water are sessential public services for all. It is also important that citizens pay reasonable amounts based on the services actually received. With the assembly which saw the participation of representatives of European citizens, the EU changes its way of listening to society and it does so by reflecting on how to best legislate on a crucial issue such as access to water. In the opinion of citizens, water is a human right and its management should remain public.
According to citizens' representatives, the EU should undertake to ban the liberalization of water services. The hope is that the European Commission can truly respect and take into account the opinion expressed by the ECI. Citizens will continue to oppose any privatization attempts that might take place behind the scenes. In fact, it is quite clear that path towards a real recognition of access to water as a universal human right it will still be very long. It is hoped that the new tool of participatory democracy which sees the involvement of citizens can work, so as to be able to open a direct communication channel with the European institutions on upcoming decisions.
Marta Albè
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