First European Citizens’ Initiative on water launched on April 1st

On April 1st a new legal tool enters into force in the European Union (EU) to increase the citizens participation in the decision making process. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a democratic tool for citizens to set the EU political agenda.

The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) is sponsoring this ECI together with a broad range of European organisations (European Anti-Poverty Network, European Environmental Bureau..). Public sector trade unions are demanding the EU institutions to keep water and sanitation out of the internal market rules and to declare Water and sanitation as a Human Right.

EPSU will be presenting the ECI on April 1, the first possible day, it will also present it physically at the European Commission building on Monday April 2nd at 10h30. EPSU will present a giant envelope to the EC with our demand of water and sanitation as a Human Right.

After this media event in front of the European Commission (Berlaymont building), we will hold a press conference at the Residence Palace (Rue de la loi 155 1040 Brussels) from 11h30 until 12h 30 at the Salon Room.

At the press conference a member of the Citizens Committee (Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU Deputy General Secretary) will take the floor to talk about the different aspects of the first ECI on water.