Brussels, 19/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to react positively to the first-ever successful European Citizens' Initiative, Right2Water, in those areas where it is able to act. On Wednesday 19 March, it adopted a communication in which it proposes, for those parts which fall within its competence, a raft of measures on access to drinking water and sanitation. The Greens at the EP argue that the Commission “should have submitted a legislative proposal today”, but instead it has gone no further than to launch a consultation on the drinking water directive.
The organisers of Right2Water have asked the Commission, amongst other things, to ensure that all citizens of the EU enjoy the right to water and sanitation and to step up its efforts to guarantee universal access to water and sanitation throughout the entire world.
The Commission has pledged to take the following measures: - step up efforts towards full implementation of EU water legislation, on the basis of the commitments made in the seventh EAP (environmental action programme) and in the plan for water; - launch of an EU-wide public consultation on the drinking water directive, to improve access to quality water throughout the EU; - improve transparency on the management of data on urban wastewater and drinking water (and examination of the possibility to set up a comparative assessment of water quality); - promoting structured dialogue between stakeholders on transparency in the water sector; - cooperation with existing initiatives to provide a wider set of benchmarks for water services; - measures to stimulate innovative approaches for development assistance (support for partnerships between water operators and the public-private partnerships), sharing best practice between member states (on solidarity instruments) and listing new possible areas for cooperation; - defending universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a priority area for future sustainable development goals.
Lastly, the Commission invites the member states, acting within their own competence, to step up their efforts to guarantee access to drinking water and sanitation for all, at affordable prices. The communication describes the enormous amount of work the EU has already accomplished in the field of water and sanitation. It reiterates that the decision to optimise services related to water is entirely within the competence of the public authorities of the member states. (LC)