Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on Benchmarking Water Quality and Services Brussels - 9 September 2014 The ECI 'right2water' Commission response

A European Citizens Initiative: Introduction A European citizens’ initiative (ECI) is an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation. It must be in a field where the Commission has the power to propose legislation, for example environment, agriculture, transport, public health, etc. introduced by the Convention in the draft of the European Constitution and then maintained in the Lisbon Treaty It has to be backed by at least one million EU citizens, coming from at least 7 out of the 28 member states. 1st transnational tool of participatory democracy -> unique opportunity to bring the EU closer to citizens The ECI 'right2water' is the first succesfull initiative. 2

European Citizens Initiative 'Right2water' Invites the EU to propose legislation stipulating: 1.The EU institutions and Member States be obliged to ensure that all inhabitants enjoy the right to water and sanitation. 2.Water supply and management of water resources not be subject to ‘internal market rules’ and that water services are excluded from liberalisation. 3.The EU increases its efforts to achieve universal access to water and sanitation. 3

ECI: Commission response The Commission outlined the enormous amount of work already done by the EU in the field of water and sanitation: water quality standards, financial support to expand and improve water infrastructures within the MS (EUR 22 billion between ) The EU and its MS currently provide close to 1.5 billion for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene programmmes (WASH) in developing countries (l argest donor in the water sector) 4

ECI: Commission response The Commission said yes and committed itself to: launch an EU-wide public consultation on the Drinking Water Directive advocate universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation as a priority area for post-2015 Sustainable Developement Goals promote increasing transparency: o for urban wastewater and drinking water management o through structured dialogue between stakeholders o will explore the idea of benchmarking water quality and services 5

ECI: Commission response step up efforts towards full implementation of EU water legislation by MS: o Ensure higher quality of drinking water for small supplies (<5000 people, 65 mio in the EU) o Build missing infrastructures, renew existing infrastructures A more integrated developement assistance: o Ensure that the human right dimension of access to safe drinking water and sanitation remains at the heart of the development policy o Stimulate innovative approaches for development assistance (eg.support to public-public partnerships) 6

ECI: commission response The Commission committed itself to: respect the Treaty rules requiring the EU to remain neutral on national decisions governing ownership of water undertakings But reaffirmed that drinking water concessions are excluded from the new EU rules (Directive on the awarding of concession contracts) The Commission invites the MS to take into account of the concerns raised by the citizens through this initiative and encourage them to step up their efforts to guarantee the provision of safe, clean and affordable water to all 7

Public consultation Runs from 23 June to 23 September 2014 Covers aspects such as: Water quality and potential (emerging) threats Monitoring and control Access and affordability Information for the citizen Measures in case of incidents Responses received (08/9/14): +/- 17,000 60% individuals 40% stakeholder representatives 14% live in urbanised areas 85% live in rural areas In case you did not participate yet:

Further information: official register: Communication in all languages:

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