Access to water: tackling water poverty and its implications for social policy

Background

Water is essential to life, a common good and a human right. In the EESC's view, access to clean and affordable water and sanitation should therefore be considered a public good and a basic human right, not just a commodity. To ensure this, water services should be subject to a clear regulation guaranteeing adequate service obligations. Equally, water and wastewater services should be exempt from the rules of the single market, as granted by the Concessions Directive (2014/23/EU) resulting from the European Citizens' Initiative on Right2Water.

Despite the EU's relatively favourable position in global terms, water poverty is still an issue in the EU, with millions of people lacking access to safe and affordable water and sanitation. Approximately 9.8 million EU citizens do not have safely managed drinking water, while 9.4 million can only access basic water services outside their premises. Additionally, around 450 000 people have no access even to basic drinking water services, and 6.7 million people lack proper sanitary facilities.

Vulnerable groups, such as Roma, migrants, homeless people and those living in poverty are particularly affected.

In addition, water stress affects approximately 30% of the EU population, with southern Europe facing severe water stress issues. The affordability of water and sanitation services is also a growing concern, especially with recent increases in energy prices.

Key points

In the opinion, the EESC:

• urges the European Commission and the Member States to apply a human rights-based approach to all water policies and to address water poverty, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR);

• calls on the Commission to establish a unified approach to water poverty at the EU level. This involves developing a comprehensive European definition of water poverty that allows for a clear and shared understanding of water poverty, while allowing each Member State to adapt it to their specific context;

• calls on the Commission to create common guidelines for monitoring access to quality and affordable water and sanitation services (WSS). These guidelines should assess spatial, social and gender disparities within Member States and across the EU, providing regular updates on the current status and tracking progress in this area.

The text of the draft opinion can be found here.

Additional information

Section: Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship (SOC)

Opinion number: SOC/763

Opinion type: Own-initiative opinion

Rapporteurs: Kinga JOÓ and Carlos Manuel TRINDADE

Reference: Rule 52(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Date of adoption by section: 21/06/2023

Result of the vote: 62 in favour/8 against/16 abstentions

Date of adoption in plenary: 12/07/2023

Result of the vote:

Contacts:

• Press officer:  Laura Lui           
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• Administrator: Bartek Bednarowicz
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• email:  Bartek.Bednarowicz@eesc.europa.eu