WATER ABLAZE - Patagonia Sin Represas

– which has meanwhile lost its “sting”. The repercussions of all this
are already being felt throughout Europe today. Even an unbiased
examination of liberalisation policies cannot fail to reveal that these
very soon turn into exactly the opposite, because each company will
endeavour to suppress freedom of competition – this idol of undying
worship – to promote its own economic ends.
Article 28 of the German constitution grants local authorities the
right of self-determination. Today, however, more than 80 per cent
of EU resolutions directly affect the functioning of local government,
annulling constitutional law under which “all matters pertaining to
the local community are to be regulated autonomously within the
framework of the law”. The EU defines the economic value of services
and dictates to town and city councils when they are compelled to
invite tenders for contracts. If it is now starting to use its guidelines
to determine how municipal water supplies are to be operated, then
this is being done solely for the benefit of corporations and not the
advancement of public welfare.
On July 18, 2007, the EU Commissioner for the Environment,
Stavros Dimas, presented a plan which was aimed at offsetting the
water shortage. In the process, he revealed the EU’s Draconian stance
on water-related issues. In many places, water was too cheap and would
have to become more expensive so that people would learn to use it
more efficiently. 55 Member states would have to comply with this
regulation by 2010, otherwise the EU Commission would take legal
action against those countries which were behind schedule. Raising
water prices would once again benefit the European water giants. Evil
to him who suspects any kind of connection here!
As a consequence of the facts described above, we should endeavour
to terminate all privatisation deals relating to water supply systems,
even in cases of partial privatisation and formal privatisation (privatelaw
company), in order to avoid the obligation to invite tenders from
all over Europe. It has been revealed from within Brussels circles
that the EU Commission is planning yet another aggressive assault,
i.e. the liberalisation of the special-purpose associations in the water
sector, which would result in the compulsory invitation of tenders
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