In December 2013 nearly two million signatures were delivered to the European Commission demanding that the Human Right to Water be implemented in the European Union. The signatures were collected through a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), a tool designed to increase participatory democracy in the EU. The ECI was supported and promoted by IMPACT following the campaign’s launch at IMPACT’s 2012 conference.

The European Commission is supposed to take action after a successful ECI, but after more than two years, the reality is that they are just ignoring the demands of European citizens.

What are they waiting for?

The Human Right to Water and Sanitation was recognised by the United Nations in 2010. Citizens mobilised across Europe asking for its implementation at EU level. The European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee supported those demands. What else is the European Commission waiting for?

By not implementing a basic Human Right into EU law they are following the demands of the industry lobby. By not listening to the demands of so many citizens who have used the only participatory mechanisms available, they are widening the gap between public opinion and the European Institutions.

After so many years of austerity, the implementation of the Human Right to Water in Europe is even more urgent than before. Access to water is still not a reality for many vulnerable families, thousands of households are being deprived from water for not being able to pay the bills and water management is still being privatised in many countries. In the meantime, the European Commission keeps on negotiating free trade agreements that would put under question the model of public water management that we need to achieve this Human Right.

Add your voice

Ask the European Commission to act on the right to water! – see HERE for more details on how you can send a message to the European Commission.