We, people from the Ebro Delta Region in south Catalonia, would like to invite you to acknowledge and support our campaign to protect our river, its Delta and ecosystems and our livelihoods. The Ebro Delta is one of the most important wetland areas in southern Europe, but is extremely fragile.

We have handed in a Petition to the European Parliament in order to ask politicians to take action against the Ebro River Management Plan which, as it is formulated now, would cause an environmental disaster and the disappearance of 80% of the territory in 50 years.

The Ebro River Management plan draft is affected by economic fraud, technical incoherence and a serious lack of democracy in its elaboration.

Support the fight for the Ebro River Delta!

Sign the petition: http://dmadeltaebre.blogspot.com.es/

THE RIVER

The River Ebro is one of the longest rivers in Spain, with a length of 930 Km and a River Basin of 86,100 Km2. Its source is in Fontibre (Cantabria), and it passes through nine Autonomous Communities before flowing into the Mediterranean sea where it forms the Ebro Delta (Catalonia). It is the third longest river in the Mediterranean, after the Rhone and the Nile. Its ecological richness is recognized at national and international levels. Most of the Delta is a National Park, recognized as being of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. It is a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPAB - 79/409/CEE), a Community Interest Area (CIA - 85/337/EEC) and, furthermore, it is currently under review to be declared a Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO).

The Spanish members of the European Water Movement have written to Members of the European Parliament with their concerns about a visit by Suez-Agbar to Barcelona today on 28 February 2013.

Respected Parliamentarians of the European Union,

As you will be aware, Suez-Agbar have invited you to visit, on 1^st March, water installations in the Barcelona region. We would strongly urge you to both send this letter to the members of your party and to not take up the invitation. The fact is that the planned programme is biased, failing to provide alternative views from all interested parties throughout Spanish society, such as NGOs.  These elements and opinions are essential, especially when dealing with public services and the environment.

The Platfom Aigua és Vida (Water is Life) and the citizens of Barcelona need your support, please sign the MANIFESTO of support here.

Many of us are suffering every day the impacts of water privatisation. In Catalonia the monopolist and for-profit approach water service is widely extended, having most of the municipalities their water service privatised and managed by AGBAR, subsidiary of the french multinational SUEZ. The contempt and impacts of SUEZ all over the world is well-known for all of you, with some rellevant examples like the cancellation of the contracts in Buenos Aires (Argentina), Córdoba (Argentina), La Paz y El Alto (Bolivia), Atlanta (UEA), París (France), etc, or the strong opposition in El Saltillo (Mexico), Johannesburg (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia) or Manila (Philippines), among many others.

Opposition grows to Agbar’s home rule

A heated debate is raging over the legality of a recent concession award to Spanish water services company Agbar. The outcome could have major repurcussions for the company’s footprint in its home city. The recent decision by the metropolitan area of Barcelona (AMB) to award a 35-year integral water cycle concession for greater Barcelona to Spain’s largest private operator Agbar without an open tender is facing concerted opposition from private sector water operators, NGOs and municipalities.

Update on the current situation

On 30th May, the Madrid government announced its decision to give up for the time being, the privatization of the Canal Isabel II. Due to the actual economic situation posing an obstacle to its sale to private companies. However, it still announced the creation of a 100% public limited company, called Canal de Isabel II Gestión SA to manage the full cycle of water.

On the 6th of June, the board of directors of Canal Isabel II approved the establishment of the new company, signed off the inventory of assets and statutes of the new company and its program of activity, even though the vote was opposed by the company’s work council, a representative body of workers and management. Its members had not received sufficient information to formulate a position on the establishment of the new company.