Brussels, 06/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 23 December, the European Commission officially received the first European Citizens' Initiative, the starting point of which is that water is a public good and not a commodity. This citizens' initiative obtained 1.8 million signatures in support of its aim (see EUROPE 10955). It is calling on the Commission to propose legislation that makes water and water purification a human right as recognised by the United Nations.
Petition signatories say that water and the management of water resources should not be subject to internal market rules and water management services should be excluded from liberalisation. Over the next three months, the initiative organisers will be invited to Brussels to put forward their arguments. The Commission will then have to adopt a communication in which it will propose amendment of its legislation or, if it proposes no change, it will have to explain why it has reached such a decision.
The Citizens' Initiative entered into force on 1 April 2012. A European citizens' initiative can ask the European Commission to propose legislation if it is backed by at least one million EU citizens from at least 7 member states. (LC/transl.fl)