Anlässlich der erfolgreichen Europäischen Bürgerinitiative Right2Water (2013) wurde die europäische Trinkwasserrichtlinie überarbeitet.[1] Am 1.2.2018 hat die EU-Kommission ihren Entwurf (pdf) vorgestellt. Auf ihrer Website wirbt sie: „Mit heute (Donnerstag) von der EU-Kommission vorgeschlagenen Reform der Trinkwasserrichtlinie werden die Qualität des Trinkwassers, der Zugang zu Trinkwasser und die diesbezüglichen Informationen für die Bürgerinnen und Bürger verbessert. Ziel des heutigen Legislativvorschlags ist es, das Recht auf sauberes Trinkwasser zu garantieren, ein Ziel, das auf die erste erfolgreiche europäische Bürgerinitiative >Right2Water<, zurückgeht, bei der 1,6 Mio. Unterschriften zur Unterstützung eines verbesserten Zugangs zu sauberem Trinkwasser für alle Europäer gesammelt wurden. Der Gesamtverbrauch an Leitungswasser – eine kostengünstige, sichere und umweltfreundliche Alternative zu in Flaschen abgefülltem Wasser – sollte sich dadurch erhöhen. […]“

Vom 1. Februar bis 1. April 2018 kann man sich hier dazu äußern.

Quellen:
Website: Review of the drinking water directive hier
Dokument: Review of the drinking water directive (pdf)
Revision of the Drinking Water Directive (RECAST 2017) hier
Saubereres Trinkwasser für alle Europäer https://ec.europa.eu/germany/news/20180201-trinkwasser_de

Weiterführende Links
Website EU-Kommission, Environment, Drinking Water hier

Reaktionen auf den Entwurf der neuen Trinkwasser-Richtlinie

Verdi

Europäische Kommission verpasst Anerkennung des Menschenrechts auf Wasser – Neufassung der Trinkwasser-Richtlinie bringt nur einzelne Verbesserungen
31.01.2018

European Water Movement – Food & Water Europe – Wasser in Bürgerhand

The European Commission once again disappoints citizens that supported the Initiative for the Right to Water
Today European water advocates said the leaked proposal for a new Drinking Water Directive is disappointing and doesn’t meet the expectations of the citizens and organisations that supported the first successful European Citizen’s Initiative (ECI) on the right to water. The review of this directive was framed by the Commission as their only answer to the ECI. Five years later, this draft doesn’t meet any of the demands supported by nearly two million people.

Elisabetta Cangelosi, member of the European Water Movement said, “Five years waiting for an answer and the result couldn’t be more disappointing. Although we welcome the timid attempt of the Commission to include provisions about universal access to water and the emphasis on minorities and vulnerable groups, this text has nothing to do with the human right to water recognized by the United Nations and demanded by citizens”.

The Human Right to Water as defined by the United Nations implies that water and sanitation must be physically accessible, safe, acceptable, sufficient and affordable. The draft Drinking Water Directive addressed just the first three aspects.

David Sánchez, director at Food & Water Europe added, “The proposal from the Commission simply ignores the main challenge for the Human Right to Water in the European context, affordability. With thousands of families having their water cut-off in Europe in recent years for not being able to pay the bills, guaranteeing access is not enough. We need political courage from the Commission to challenge private companies that make profit out of water management to really implement this human right in Europe”.

The proposal also includes provisions to promote free access to water in public spaces, including public buildings, but it falls short as this provision is not specific about it being tap water.

Jutta Schütz, member of Wasser in Bürgerhand added, “The Commission vague wording allows the interpretation that installing vending machines with bottled water would be enough. We need to close this gap so the Drinking Water Directive is coherent with the efforts to get rid of plastics at the European level such as the Plastics Strategy or the Circular Economy Package, and to challenge this unacceptable, environmentally-damaging industry”.“
Zum Beitrag

EPSU European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)

Recast Drinking Water Directive step forward but misses the opportunity to recognize Human Right to Water

Brussels, 31 January 2018 – Press Release) Tomorrow the European Commission will approve the Recast of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD). It is the first time that legislation takes account of the demands of the first ever successful European Citizens Initiative (ECI) Right2water. The ECI collected over 1.8 million signatures asking the European Commission to propose legislation implementing the human right to water and sanitation as recognised by the United Nations (UN).

The Recast Directive takes steps in the right direction especially with an obligation for Member States to take all measures necessary to ensure access to drinking water for vulnerable and marginalized groups. However just providing health advice and information on the quality of water falls short of our expectations.

The Recast Directive fails to go all the way and recognize this human right. There is no reference to the considerable work of the UN Special Rapporteurs for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation. These rapporteurs have made numerous suggestions on how this right can be realized. While the Commission recognizes the demands of citizens and continued support for the implementation of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation this is not reflected in the legislative text.

Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary and Right2water vice-president states “It is an achievement for the supporters of the right2water that Member States have to do more to provide access to drinking water for vulnerable groups including refugees. I am disappointed EU failed to become a world leader by recognizing this right in its legislation. We are expecting the Commission to take up the Right to Water and Sanitation up in the Frame Work Directive as well”.

EPSU has actively supported the ECI Right2water and will continue to campaign with the European Water Movement and others to achieve a clear commitment by the European Institutions on the implementation of the Human Right to water and sanitation as defined by the United Nations. It is now for the European Parliament to give its opinion and proposals. Members of the European Parliament have been supporting this right consistently.

EPSU hopes that the European Commission can make this up during the debate on the upcoming Water Framework Directive (WFD) publishing an ambitious piece of legislation that will take into account the Right2water views.

For more information Pablo Sanchez psanchez@epsu.org +32 474 626 633

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EPSU is the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It is the largest federation of the ETUC and comprises 8 million public service workers from over 260 trade unions; EPSU organises workers in the energy, water and waste sectors, health and social services and local, regional and central government, in all European countries including the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood. EPSU is the recognized regional organization of Public Services International (PSI). For more information please go to: www.epsu.org

Studie von EPSU: Commentary on the European Commission’s  “Study on Water Services in Selected Member States” (pdf)

Mehr hier

Die Grünen/EFA im Europäischen Parlament

Medienecho

:

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/wasserstrategie-der-eu-auch-in-deutschland-gibt-es-menschen-ohne-zugang-zu-trinkwasser-15427635.html

https://www.morgenpost.de/web-wissen/article213296493/EU-wirbt-fuer-Leitungswasser-um-Plastikmuell-zu-reduzieren.html

https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/leitungswasser-101.html

http://www.zeit.de/wissen/gesundheit/2018-02/trinkwasser-eu-kommision-qualitaet-standard

http://www.sonnenseite.com/de/umwelt/saubereres-trinkwasser-fuer-alle-europaeer.html

http://www.fnp.de/nachrichten/politik/Trinkwasser-aus-jeder-Leitung;art673,2896085

http://de.euronews.com/2018/01/31/eu-will-gutes-trinkwasser-fur-alle

https://www.focus.de/gesundheit/news/leitungswasser-eu-kommission-schlaegt-neue-qualitaetsstandards-vor_id_8400526.html

[1] „Die Überarbeitung der Trinkwasserrichtlinie 98/83/EG wurde als direkte Folgemaßnahme zur Europäischen Bürgerinitiative Right2Water in das Arbeitsprogramm der Kommission für 2017 aufgenommen.“ (Quelle)