Several hundred trade union and works council representatives of Germany’s water companies organized a demonstration to demand that water is taken out of the concessions directive. The German government and the EU Commission were demanded to be clear about declaring water a human right. Representatives of other partners in support of the ECI joined as well. EPSU was represented by the Deputy General Secretary. The demo was supported by Ver.di. It took place on 14 May 2013 in Berlin.
(15 MAy 2013) Jean Ziegler, former UN special rapporteur on the right to food, speaks about privatisation of water and the need for civil society to speak out for peoples’ rights
(13 May 2013) A new success for the groups that oppose the privatisation of the Thessaloniki water company. They have brought together the necessary funding to play a role in the bidding for the Thessaloniki Water Supply & Sewerage (Eyath) company.
Renate Brauner, Vienna Councilor for Finance and Economic Affairs, Heidrun Maier de Kruijff, Secretary General of the Federation of Public and Cooperative Economy and Enterprises of Austria, and Thomas Kattnig, International Secretary of the Union of Municipal Employees - KMSfB, express their concern
(7 May 2013) The first up and running European Citizens Initiative (ECI) – Water is a Human Right – has collected over 1,5 million signatures across Europe, and continues counting. 8 countries have passed the minimum number of signatures required.
(2 May 2013) As the first up and running European Citizens' Initiative reaches its target – more than 1 million signatures in at least 7 countries – other efforts are getting underway to support the declaration of water and sanitation as Human Rights.
(29 April 2013) The Athens Water workers are organizing many activities to underline that it is bad public policy to privatise the Athens water company.
(26 April 2013) Water privatisation is on the agenda in many European countries now austerity policies are imposed and governments are scrambling to find money. Water privatisation is hotly contested
(17 April 2013) “Agua de todos”, the Portuguese groups that are fighting privatization of water in Portugal is nominated for the “BOBS”. This is a German Prize by ‘Deutsche Welle’ for the best social activism online. The winner will be the one that gets the most votes until 7 May. The prize would be a welcome recognition of the tireless efforts of all these groups to stop privatisation of water in Portugal and to protect water as a public good. http://www.aguadetodos.com/
