Remunicipalisation becomes an unstoppable trend

Reclaiming PS

(4 June 2017) The latest research from the Transnational Institute, with the support of the European Federation of Public Services Unions (EPSU) as a leading partner has been published. This report confirms what EPSU was been arguing for years, that privatisation has not worked.

Reclaiming Public Services is vital reading for anyone interested in the future of local, democratic services like energy, water and health care. This is an in-depth world tour of new initiatives in public ownership and the variety of approaches to reversing privatisation.

Remunicipalisation is taking place in small towns and in capital cities, following different models of public ownership and with various levels of involvement by citizens and workers. Out of this diversity a coherent picture is nevertheless emerging: it is possible to deliver efficient, democratic and affordable public services. Ever declining service quality and ever increasing prices are not inevitable. More and more people and cities are closing the chapter on privatisation, and putting essential services back into public hands. The research shows that there have been at least 835 examples of (re)municipalisation of public services worldwide since 2000, involving more than 1,600 municipalities in 45 countries.

EPSU, together with its international sister organization, Public Services International, is fully committed to reclaim public services and support remunicipalisation processes across Europe.

See below:
-  Publication 'Reclaiming Public Services: How cities and citizens are turning back privatisation' edited by Satoko Kishimoto and Olivier Petitjean
-  Media briefing - June 2017