The EU is set to re-write its legislation on access to drinking water, the European Commission said yesterday in response to a pan-EU campaign backed by 1.8 million people.
“We will launch an EU-wide public consultation on the drinking water legislation in view of improving access to quality water in the EU,” Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s administrative relations commissioner, said.
“No doubt this will lead to a revision of the existing legislation,” he noted, adding that “citizens have been very ambitious in their demands and we have been ambitious in our response”.
The Right2Water campaign collected 1.8 million signatures and was backed by a string of NGOs and by the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU).
It calls on the EU executive to ensure that EU law guarantees the right to water and sanitation, including a minimum supply to all Europeans regardless of their ability to pay.
There have been complaints in several countries about citizens having their water supply cut after being unable to pay their bills. (more)
Read the whole story here: http://euobserver.com/news/123546
Source: EU obserrver - Benjamin Fox