Utilities
A secure and affordable supply of energy, clean water and sustainable waste management are basic needs for each individual and our communities in society. EPSU believes that the best way to ensure that these needs are met is through the public management of utilities services, proper regulation of the sector and decent working conditions for employees. We represent workers in the electricity, gas, water and waste sectors – both public and private – and it is our job to make sure that their voices are listened to at a European level.
EPSU’s Utilities work has seen a number of successes, most notably the ECI Campaign Right2Water, in which nearly two million European citizens joined our call for the implementation of the human right to clean drinking water and sanitation in the EU.
The President of the EPSU Standing Committee for Public Utilities is Matthew Lay, UNISON, U.K. Jakob Embacher is the EPSU policy officer for the sector.
View contacts
EPSU’s Utilities Committee promotes just transition while condemning liberalisation
The concept of Just Transition was at the heart of the discussion at the EPSU’s Utilities Standing Committee where decarbonisation and digitalisation of the European economy were deeply debated amongst members.
Public event on the right to energy coalition on December 5
In June, a new Right to Energy coalition brought together unions, environmental NGOs, energy cooperatives, ombudsmen and anti-poverty organisations to defend the right to affordable, renewable energy for all Europeans in the 2030 EU energy package

EU Citizens Initiative disappointed with result European Parliament vote in Committee on Recast Drinking Water Directive
(Press release 11 September 2018) Yesterday the Environment and Public Health committee of the European Parliament voted the report on the Recast of the Drinking Water Directive.

Right2water is voted next week in Plenary
On October 23rd the European Parliament will vote the report of MEP Michel Dantin concerning the Drinking Water Directive, as we have explained before this is the first legal reference to the ECI Right2water and the Human Right to water in European Union legislation.

Stand up for the Human Right to Water and deliver on the ECI, citizens tell European Parliament
Ahead of next week’s vote in the European Parliament on the Drinking Water Directive (DWD), the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) urges Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to support the call for the provision of universal access to drinking water.

European Parliament votes to start trialogue on Drinking Water Directive. Time to implement the Human Right to water in European legislation!
Yesterday the European Parliament voted with a very slim majority to endorse the report of MEP Michel Dantin on the Drinking Water Directive (DWD).