The Regulation of Water Services in the EU
The European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on the award of concession contracts
has sparked vigorous public debate and intense opposition. This Directive is controversial
because of the nature of the policy it proposes and because the sectors involved are highly
sensitive. This Forum examines the weaknesses of the Commission’s proposal and presents
an overview of the current issues in water regulation and the provision of water services.
The authors analyse the regulation of natural monopolies, water effi ciency and upstream
competition in the water industry.