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Welcome !

The European Water Movement is an open, inclusive and pluralistic network whose goal is to reinforce the recognition of water as a commons and as a fundamental universal right. We are united to fight against privatisation and commodification of this vital good, and to construct a public and communal management of water, founded on the democratic participation of citizens and of workers.

Join the Movement

EU Policy Focus

The European Water Movement coordinates lobbying for its members on policy issues such as the Human Right to Water and water privatization. Discover our positions and policy areas.

EU Policy Areas

Latest News

  • Stop Competition Bill – No privatization of water services
  • The Alternative Water Forum #FAME2022 starts today
  • World Water Day letter
  • Public water without (public) financial mediation? Remunicipalizing water in Valladolid, Spain
  • Letter to the MEPs on the MEP Water Group
  • STAL welcomes Setúbal municipality decision to recover water and sanitation management

European Water Movement meeting in Barcelona - Final declaration

On October 1, 2 and 3, the European Water Movement met in person in Barcelona to analyze the current situation in this time of climate crisis and pandemic, review the main water issues and plan its activity in the short and medium term. This meeting brought together more than 40 people from 9 countries (Germany, Belgium, Croatia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Serbia).

In the context of the climate emergency, it is urgent to address in a participatory manner the impacts of climate change on the availability of water resources and the management of extreme events, which will intensify.

For recognition of human rights to water and sanitation

The COVID 19 pandemic has had a significant impact with a significant increase in poverty and situations of social and economic vulnerability. The availability of water, a common good, fundamental for life, hygiene and health, has become a central issue. Many governments have taken positive social protection measures to secure water supplies and ban water cuts, which are now receding. As part of the recognition of the human rights to water and sanitation, the European Water Movement calls on governments:

  • to maintain or generalize these measures to prohibit water cuts,
  • guarantee vulnerable people a free minimum supply which covers their basic water needs and enables them to live in dignity,
  • improve the content of the European directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption, which does not systematically take up the demands of the citizens' initiative right2water when transposed into state legislation.

For public water management and a fight against the grabbing of water sources

The European Water Movement continues to be firmly committed against privatization and the grabbing of water sources.

We note with satisfaction a slow but significant increase in remunicipalisation processes, which, in many cases, have been carried out in the face of radical opposition from private lobbies. However, there is still firm resistance in favor of privatization and with clearly insufficient governance and citizen participation mechanisms.

We note with great concern the European policy in favor of private players as defined in the Next Generation EU plan and int the related national Recovery Plans. On the other hand, the growing influence of financial actors in the development of water and sanitation service infrastructure imposes a speculative logic that predominates in the financial world. Water cannot be a financial asset whose value is established in financial markets.

We consider rivers, aquifers, lakes and wetlands to be common goods. Their management must therefore be carried out on a non-profit basis and according to criteria of solidarity, mutual cooperation, collective access, equity, democratic control, sustainability and non-deterioration of water bodies. We are therefore very concerned about the construction of hydropower plants in rivers and protected areas, especially in the Balkan countries. 

Participate and contribute to the success of the Alternative World Water Forum

The European Water Movement calls on all citizen movements acting in favor of the cause of water to participate in the Alternative World Water Forum which will take place in 2022 in Dakar, Senegal. The European Water Movement will be present there and will bring the requirements indicated above. Finally, the European Water Movement sets itself the objective of improving its contacts with organizations that share its struggles at the international level.

Attendees of the meeting in Barcelona

Albania Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnia:Herzegovina Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italia Italy Portugal Romania Serbia Slovenia Spain Switzerland UK
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Newsletters

  • Coordination Eau IdF - Mobilisation nationale
  • Save the blue heart of Europe - sept 2017
  • Coordination Eau IdF - 14 août 2017
  • Forum italiano - 20 marzo 2017
  • Coordination Eau IdF - 9 janvier 2017

European Citizens' Initiative

 

 Signature collection closed !

Focus on Greece

With the beginning of the Greek economic crisis, the publicly controlled water companies of Athens (EYDAP) and Thessaloniki (EYATH) were among the assets which were to be privatized according to the deal between the Greek government and its creditors.

After 2,5 years of struggle by groups in Athens (Save Greek Water) and Thessaloniki (Movement 136, Water Warriors, Soste to nero), two major events forced the government to stop. The one was the popular referendum in Thessaloniki (18 May 2014) where 98% of Thessalonians voted against the privatization of EYATH and the second was the Council of State decision 1906/2014 which ruled that the privatization of EYDAP is unconstitutional.

But the third memorandum deal pushes again for the privatization of water services. In the latest privatization plan there is a provision for the sale of 11% of EYDAP and 23% of EYATH (leaving just the 50% plus one stocks to the State) and there is a push for including the two companies in their entirety to a “superfund” which “does not belong to the public or broader public sector”.

Focus on Portugal

The Água é de todos campaign defends public water. To this end, in 2013 it launched a legislative initiative of citizens, «Protection of Individual and Common Rights for Water», signed by more than 44 thousand citizens, with a view to consecrating the right to water and preventing privatization. The project was rejected twice in Parliament, in 2014 and 2017. Only the PCP, BE, PEV MPs, joined in 2017 by those of the PAN, voted in favor. Therefore, the message of Água é de todos will continue to focus on the consecration and implementation of the human right to water, against the water trade.

Focus on Ireland

Despite several years of campaigning against the installation of residential water meters and against domestic water charges, the right2water Ireland campaign did not achieve in 2017 either the final cessation of the installation of meters, the abolition of charges which were just postponed, or the end of Irish Water. Moreover, the referendum to prevent the privatisation of water services has still not been held despite the unanimous support of the Irish Parliament. On the contrary, domestic water charges resurfaced in 2019, residential water meters continue to be installed and Irish Water is increasingly contracting out to the private sector, resulting in a deterioration of water infrastructure and water quality. A strong campaign for the right to water and democracy is more necessary than ever.

Reports & Publications

  • Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes
  • Destruction and Resistance in Hasankeyf and at Tigris
  • Comparison of water supplies and sanitation systems
  • Analysis of the difficulties accessing water encountered by households in arrears on their water bills in France
  • Dams and hydropower in Bosnia and Herzegovina

About Us

  • EU Policy Areas

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  • The European Water Movement's Mission

  • The Naples Manifesto

Contact

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On Twitter: @euwm

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