Parliament urged to vote no to water liberalisation (9 March 2004)

On Wednesday 10 March, the European Parliament will vote in plenary on the Miller report on the Commission’s Internal Market Strategy Priorities 2003-2006. The draft report, as adopted in the Parliament’s Internal Market and Legal Affairs Committee, is not acceptable. It argues for water liberalisation, views the Internal Market solely as the playground of big business and has rejected most amendments calling for a more socially balanced approach to the internal market. It also calls for Member States to agree the recently proposed and controversial Internal Market of Services Directive even before Parliament has adopted a formal position. The proposal to link the discussion on the Services Directive with the ongoing consultation process on Services of General Interest has also been rejected. This is in blatant contradiction with Parliament’s position on the Herzog report on Services of General Interest and with the 100s of citizens groups who supported this stand.