Posted on 23-5-2003
Evian
- Corporate Welfare
The EU Water Fund, to be presented at the G8 summit in Evian,
seems more about corporate welfare than helping the world's
poorest. The EU plan builds on controversial proposals by former
IMF director Michel Camdessus, to use aid money to subsidise
the expansion of private water corporations. Confidential documents
obtained by CEO show how the European Commission has worked
in tandem with Suez and other giant water corporations in developing
its international water initiatives.
Water will be top of the agenda when the heads of state
of the G-8 countries meet June 1-3 at their annual summit, in
the French lake resort Evian. Summit host Jacques Chirac is
preparing a "Global Water Plan" and European Commission
President Romano Prodi will launch the EU Water Fund. Both initiatives
are announced as direct follow-up from the World Water Forum
in Kyoto (March 2003), which failed to reach agreement on the
central question of how to finance improved access to drinking
water and sanitation for the world's poorest. Additionally both
rely heavily on the controversial report written for the Kyoto
conference by a panel chaired by former IMF director Michel
Camdessus. [1]
The Camdessus report, among other things, recommended using
public funding and development aid to facilitate investments
by the private sector. [2]
This would effectively mean subsidising the privatisation of
water delivery, despite the growing evidence that the water
needs of the poor should not be left in the hands of transnational
water corporations. [3]
The proposals caused deep splits and a deadlock in government
talks at the Kyoto conference, but the EU seems determined to
steamroll ahead.
See full article online at www.corporateeurope.org/water/infobrief6.htm
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