Country & City Focus

Report from the National Assembly of The Italian Forum for Water Movements

Rome, 24-25 November 2012.

The Italian Forum for Water Movements held its national assembly a year and a half after its extraordinary referendum victory.

The discussion began with an analysis of this intense year, marked by repeated attacks from all levels at the outcome of the referendum, which expressed the will of 26 million people.

It was agreed that it was a year of strong resistance by the movement for water, which promoted local and national initiatives for the remunicipalisation of water services, a campaign for civil obedience and mobilizations against the consolidation of large multi-utilities. A year, that has demonstrated the persistence of local grassroots building and the political subjectivity of the movement as well as a reinforcement of the reasons behind the referendum victory.

A Fraudulent Remunicipalisation in Berlin

Latest developments in the parliament of the City State of Berlin that took place last Wednesday (25th October 2012).

The SPD / CDU coalition agreed to buy back RWE’s 24.9% share in the Berlin Water Company for EUR 654 million, even though RWE had already amortized more than the sum it paid in 1999. This high price is based on an estimate of RWE’s profit over the next 16 years until 2028. But this pales into insignificance compared to the terms of a new contract with the other private partner, Veolia, which, as far as we have been able to ascertain, is concluded for a further 30 years.

Forum italiano dei movimenti per l'acqua

Siamo quelli che vogliono l'acqua pubblica, quelli che credono che un bene universale fondamentale per la vita non debba essere affidato alle logiche del mercato e del profitto. Quelli che hanno raccolto quasi un milione e mezzo di firme per promuovere 3 referendum per la totale ripubblicizzazione dei servizi idrici.

Água é de todos

Lançada inicialmente em 2008, a Campanha “Água é de todos” foi relançada no passado dia 29 de Julho por 10 organizações que constituem a Comissão Promotora. Alargando-se a mais de cem organizações e movimentos, a Campanha é hoje um espaço incontornável em defesa da água pública.

The Process of Privatizing The Canal Isabel II

Update on the current situation

On 30th May, the Madrid government announced its decision to give up for the time being, the privatization of the Canal Isabel II. Due to the actual economic situation posing an obstacle to its sale to private companies. However, it still announced the creation of a 100% public limited company, called Canal de Isabel II Gestión SA to manage the full cycle of water.

On the 6th of June, the board of directors of Canal Isabel II approved the establishment of the new company, signed off the inventory of assets and statutes of the new company and its program of activity, even though the vote was opposed by the company’s work council, a representative body of workers and management. Its members had not received sufficient information to formulate a position on the establishment of the new company.

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