Representatives of the trade union-led Right to Water campaign packed the European Parliament this week as EU institutions were forced to hear their demands. The campaign was the first to gather over a million signatures under the EU’s ‘European Citizens Initiative,’ which obliges the European Commission to consider demands that attract enough signatures from a range of EU member states.

Campaign leaders also met European Commission vice-president and commissioner for inter-institutional relations and administration, Maroš Šefčovič, and representatives of several EU departments. The Commission now has until 20^th March to respond to the issues raised by the campaign.

Right to Water, instigated and led by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), gathered more than 1.7 million signatures in favour of guaranteed public provision of water and sanitation services across Europe. IMPACT is one of 265 unions, representing over eight million public servants, affiliated to EPSU.