European Parliament Environment Committee formally supports Human Right to Water

(25 June 2015) This morning the Environment and Public Health Committee voted by an absolute majority to send a strong message to the European Commission to act on the Human Right to Water.

The report by the Irish MEP Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL) has been adopted and it will be discussed and voted in the Plenary. In the report the Committee demands the European Commission to act on the first successful European Citizens Initiative and to implement the Human Right to Water in the EU legislation as defined by the United Nations in 2010. It also calls to refrain from pushing for privatization of water through austerity measures and to promote more actively Public Public Partnerships (PuPs). It also reinforces the exclusion of water and sanitation from internal market rules (as the Communication of the EC stated) and from any trade agreement.

EPSU wants to thank all the MEPs that listen to the voice of over 1.8 million citizens that signed the ECI www.right2water.eu .