Should basic services such as water, gas, and electricity utilities be governed by the free market? Or should they be considered a “public good”, and nationalised to keep prices down? It’s an old leftwing policy that fell out of fashion in the 1980s, but could it be time to resurrect it once more?
Proponents of nationalisation argue that private companies hike up prices and focus on profit over people. Utilities often create natural monopolies, and consumers cannot choose to stop consuming water, gas, or electricity – therefore, the logic of the free market starts to break down (or so goes the argument). Critics respond by pointing out that publicly-owned alternatives were inefficient and plagued by political interference from governments who only thought about winning the next election.
European Union rules promote liberalising markets and discourage privatisation. However, there may be ways around the rules. In Germany, many local municipalities own or part-own utility companies for the local community. In France, over 90% of the market is controlled by state-owned or backed entities.
What do citizens think? In 2013, Right2Water became the first European Citizens’ Initiative to successfully gather over a million signatures. It’s official title in the ECI register was: “Water and sanitation are a human right! Water is a public good, not a commodity!”
The Commission eventually responded to this initiative by declaring that the EU was committed to providing clean drinking water for all. However, their response stopped short of an outright exemption of water services from Single Market rules, including those concerning privatisation. Michel Barnier, the Commissioner for the Single Market at the time, explained to us that he believes these rules can be important to safeguard the quality and safety of water supplies.
Should water, gas, and electricity utilities be nationalised? Or is the free market the most efficient way to deliver basic services at an affordable price? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers for their reactions!
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YES. All infrastructure utilities should be publicly owned and regulated on a national, and possibly EU level.
Let’s stick with national please ;) The EU only brought us problems and it’s time to it to go..
Yes
To encourage paying for what you use at same standard rate for every one.
Ouch… looking back at this comment after June 2016 is painful.
Yes of course… Shouldn’t even be a question, if there wasn’t the unlimited greed of private corporations to control everything ….
NO , EU should fight against corruption, destroy tax havens and make it possible for private investors and for governments to invest in power corporations . EU should donate millions of those systems to house owners in the South Europe : To install it like this is simple and cheap , it is like IKEA furniture : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzar3xqCb6k . EU should donate millions of those small wind turbines to the house owners in the North Europe : http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/CHINA-windkraftanlage-10KW-wind-generator-wind_60320945677.html?spm=a2700.7724857.29.24.O1xBiS
lol hasn’t EDF bought everyone up yet?
.
What is the point of the EU without a free market ?
The alternative to growth & prosperity is the decline & misery offered by communism/Europeanism.
well ofc
Yes …I think they should be !
The notion that there is a competitive market place for utilities is a false one. In essence all power and water does the same thing and consumers will almost always go with the most economically affordable provider.
The minute you remove the ability of providers to bamboozle consumers with disingenuous and confusing pricing and force them to define a clear per unit price you will largely end up with a monopoly. As such a nationalised utilities sector makes the most sense, the difficulty in that is ensuring adequate investment in infrastructure is available. However given that European governments bailed out the banking sector to the tune of trillions of Euros with little chance of recouping the majority of that ‘investment’ then I don’t see the issue!
Absolutely not. It is just another barrier to the markets integration.
yes-but on an EU level
I agree with Brian above and have replied giving reasons, Maksym i don’t agree, water is not a commodity it is a right (ask the Irish and the Italians btw), Ireland is fighting for its right to keep water as a right and this central issue has caused a hung parliament or Dail Eireann, Italians clearly voted on this very constitutional matter in favour of keeping water as a right that is not subject to free market conditions, and were ignored by the Renzi government in the same that the Kenny – Burton coalition have failed to listen to their own electorate in Ireland. Service providing must be paid for but again, by the people for the people, not greedy share holders. There are plenty of commodities within the free market but not everything can be subjected to its principles. You have NO choice as to utilities, they must be provided and unlike going to a supermarket, no country has enough players to make a real difference, therefore either, as Brian points out, there will be a cartel should these companies actually clarify their position properly for the consumer, or we get bamboozled into buying up a service which has poor service and saves you nothing. The EU can’t even protect the citizen regarding pension rights and taxation in a clear and accessible manner, let’s get that right and put the citizen into the foreground of rights and responsibilities rather than handing over essential utilities to a ruthless, deceiving and greedy free market where in reality there is not enough competition nor respect for the consumer to make it worthwhile, i am fed up with these companies trying to rifle my pockets through lies…sorry clever marketing…and a complete disregard for respecting consumer legislation.
Yes, it should. All utilities, public transports and the Banking System (that already proved to be incompetent as a private sector), should be nationalized, the later even with total loss for their investors. Yet, I hope you all understand that “nationalized” means “belonging to a NATION”…
Yes
No.
Health service, water, electricity and gas are public goods and should be/remain under national government to gurantee the accessibility and common character of those goods.
Yes …. and the health system (gezondheidszorg)
yes
Yes
NOPE
NO.
Nationalized or not, these basic necessities, among others, should be provided by “social enterprises” whose profits should revert towards better infrastructures and not towards the pockets of some smart greedy bunch.
Nationalized or not, these basic necessities, among others, should be provided by “social enterprises” whose profits should revert towards better infrastructures and not towards the pockets of some smart greedy bunch.
whatever guarantees sufficent supply for everybody. in moment they should become or stay public goods everywhere!
Monopoly of the corporations must be broken, because monopoly or oligopoly is undemocratic. For that reason, government may undertake basic essential utilities in their control because government is formed by the public, means it’s democratic way of life. Market is not free anyways because corporations are hardly taxed whereas the common people are heavily taxed. So the competition is already killed in the market.
What a stupid question. Of course! Especially water! Free market doesn’t work all the time and somebody like the state must check that the suppy of basic staff like water are delivered to everyone and control the price. The same is valid for transports like trains.
YES,THEY SHOULD!!!
Of course they MUST be nationalised. Free market never equalizes the differences among poors and riches…quite the contrary… and this is well proved by our century!
Also because, the “free” market, in reality is not free at all, but monopolized by lobbists/big corporations
In a real democracy..both private and public companies should exist.and let the people choose.
No! The free market determines some honest prices only. The prices of water and electricity are government decision in Bulgaria and they are so very high, because of that many pensioners cannot pay them.
We should nationalise it.
yes they should more money in the pocket of the common man means more spending on other thing which means more jobs
they should be nationalised for sure and no question about it.. its criminal to see countries like germany voting that water is not a human right as air and WATER are very basic things needed for life.. its not something it should be made a commodity with price tags and corporations deem right.. and at the same time more and more laws are passing that forbid people to build and independent household, you have to have connection to everything, and pay of course..
i have no problem with people being rich and making money of something they do, provide service or products that people want to buy, but to make enormous profits on something that nature gives us (same with berries, mushrooms etc).. and in croatia its also a big part of corruption, state gives concessions to water springs at prices like 2kn per cubic meter and they sell it at 10kn per liter (1€ = 7.55kn, 1m3=1000L)..
Yes, but how can u get those moguls out of the market ?
water and land should belong to the people, they are no speculators’ toys.
The decision if- or not- to opt for State-owned enterprises (SOE) should follow simple HR principles. All Human Rights are owned by us folks & supposed to be safeguarded by our governments. Therefore, they should never be sold off or privatized for the purpose of profiteering. Most still remain state owned anyways!
First, one should emphasize the importance of Article 15: The Right to a Nationality and the freedom to change it. (the drive by the EU for “supra and anti nationalism”)
Most of Europe has a solid social democratic dispensation and must preserve & not copy the US or change it to the Bankster’s version!
The right to water (& sanitation) is a basic human right, a common commodity & must never be privatized (Nestle)! Privatization is however championed by the elite as part of their “destructive capitalism” like the- IMF & WB- especially in poor countries. Understandable problems there are lack of skills & adequate managerial capacity- which is not lacking in our advanced European economies.
Privatizing basic services for profit motives, (resultant loss of jobs, cheaply selling the “family silver” for short term gain etc.) is not necessarily more efficient if honestly managed and controlled by the state. Political corruption must be prevented & heavily penalized. Nowadays most Government employees receive either equal or often a better “package” than their college’s in the private sector (race to the bottom) and are obliged to perform & be accountable!
Generation of electricity (or domestic gas) should also be considered a (modern) human right- since it improves life, liberty and freedom of choice- all existing basic human rights. One must not listen to the overpaid money printers & fractional reserve bankers who stealthily undermine & steal our basic HR’s!
yes they should…
I agree,they definetly should be nationalised and belong to the people.I just hope that the members of EU institutions are reading these comments and that they obey what people think.
Yes. It should.
Yes-
In cornwall i have to pay 700 quid a year just for water.This cannot be right.Tha5s what privatising water has done for me.
ABSOLUTELY NOT! we need to stop this “communization” of Europe. Europe´s roots are in capitalism, the free market and individualism. Well, at least most of it is. Remember the “enemy within”, yes its true folks, there are some amongst us that would happily drag us into a communism. They are working hard to do this one thin slice at a time and nationalizing anything is one step along that rode. We should be aiming for a truly capitalistic energy market where everybody freely trades the electricity they themselves produced..solar panels, thermal heating systems and such like.
Jonathan, ABSOLUTELY NOT? What “is a truly capitalistic (energy) market”? Is it that simple- or? Nothing needs to be nationalized- only protected from privatization!
Didn’t Europe evolve from “true” feudalism via mercantilism to capitalism & continues (and should) to do so past an opaque “true” capitalism. Progressing from the previous land owning aristocracy and their serfs to Corporatism, where government, business, and labor collude (economic fascism?); is still significantly different from (failed) “state capitalism”- called communism.
This subject became more complex & faceted by mutations to unhealthy financial capitalism (finance, insurance, real estate) Is predatory & unscrupulous lending, plus unrestricted money & credit extensions by CB’s, big Banks, IMF, WB, etc.-enticing borrowers to enter into unsafe and unsound “secured loans” for inappropriate purposes- sound & honest capitalistic practices?
Many fruits of this global “free trade”- being part of present “bubble capitalism”- is hidden in off shore, off-balance sheet & complex structured investment vehicles- (refer to the “Panama” revelations or the Air Dubai disaster) masking massive global fraud & dishonesty of the present (destructive) capitalistic “Neo-Feudalists”- depriving the majority working folks- once more- of a deservedly better lifestyle.
Today’s consumers (“former serfs”) equally have progressed and their consumer rights are an extension of their basic HR and acknowledged & protected in the “Consumers rights Bill” :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Bill_of_Rights#The_right_to_choose
yes!
Yes!
Si
Globalised, maybe?! Aren’t earth resources meant for all living being on this planet? Without damaging this planet, ofcourse.
Yes, Nationalized! Local resources, local benefit.
Of course!
Just let NOT the water and the electricity on the free market hands, please
No,por fin llegamos al numitor comun,y añado :ley de reciclaje en todo el mundo incluido China y energias renovables ,como placas solares ,energia eolica ,la obtenida del suelo por la sintesiz de las plantas ,la que obtenemos de pedalear almacenada en acumumuladores ,o sea centrar todas las investigaciones en producir energia limpia y dejar el petrolio solo para la industria quimica y aeronautica,coches solo electricos!Por favor ,centremonos en las personas en el bienestar del planeta y del ser humano!
No!
No, but, I think that the UE has to looking for more effeciency in your process..UE should improve in green energy., too.
The market fail thanks to oligapoly!
Yes of course! Profit on necessary needs is unfair, oligopolistic market didn’t bring so better prices and the society must control its production!
The soundbite says that it is better to offer opportunity to anyone who wants to start a business and let the supply-demand determine the price of the product – micro economics and most people believe the less the state gets involved by nationalising everything the better – macro economics. The only extra attention that must be applied in the case of ‘services’ which are a necessity is to have an unattached control to constantly check for price irregularities to the customer. Nationalisation oftens strangles progress, profit, and true ultimate success. Of course I could be talking total gobbledgeek – welcome into the world of a nerd (^_~)
Just No
no . Il libero mercato aumenta i prezzi e offre scarsa qualità perchè non tiene conto del benessere dei cittadini ma pensa a fare quello per cui è logico che faccia, i suoi interessi . Non si può fare business sulla pelle e la salute dei cittadini
yes!
The EU should “state” provide water & energy to its member states it should be under government control.
It would get is the best price and the best service whilst helping to reach environmental targets.
It would also reduce poverty.
I want the EU to provide National healthcare to its citizens to! All of us! +Power +Water
Hi G.N.K. – amazing! Are you dreaming to live in the past USSR or DPRNK paradise?
It is disturbing how many (still) believe & equate the EU with a “national super state”! Why not demand the EU to supply your milk & morning paper to your doorstep as well?
Ever considered that sovereign national states are supplying these services via a national grid & municipalities- which remain (mostly) still state owned utilities? Has sufficient political grandstanding succeeded in creating an image & believe of an all “caring Mother EU” utopia- or? Tragic!
^>@EU Reform- Proactive
Threw the EU we already regulate and inspect and set energy targets. Does that mean YOU live in the USSR?
We already have European health insurance and we are not just citizens of member states but are also citizens of the EU itself.
Is it so much of a stretch of an imagination to integrate our energy and health care systems no matter how distant that process may be?
We are already in a superstate whether you like it or not. EU (threw democracy) is boss!
I’m perfectly happy with that as are many…possibly even a majority.
Its you who can’t see that that needs the pitty not me.
Hmm- i rather “threw” this EU (none) democracy out a suitable window! Just a comment about the “perceived “EHI”:
The wrongly- as EU referred “health insurance”- is only a free of charge issued “facilitation card” (EHIC), based on valid membership of a statutory NATIONAL health insurance scheme- for state medical treatment by a state doctor. Should one see a private doctor you pay up front & may reclaim the statutory (state) portion in your country of residence- except you have a top up private HI.
However, i gladly accept your stoic believe in a bright EUSSR future- in future!
There is not a free market in water, therefore it should be a national organisation
Yes.
Now that a tiny minority decided to leave Europe we should certainly nationalise our utilities.
A surprising amount are state owned by foreign governments, for example EDF (Electicite de France)
‘Privatising’ our utilities then selling them to foreign nationalised companies proves that the 1980s tories were not fit for purpose.
the way things are going we will own nothing in this country we should nationalise all power utilities .as thnigs are going when we come out of euroupe all the things we made glass bottles sheet glass car glass tough glass steel knives forks poterry plus many washing machine hoovers plus many more they made there money over here closed down took there money and our pensions over to singapore and asia were gona be total dependant on china and all the asian countries incuding africa asia thailand olus many others who have all goined together to import into this country
Infrastructure should be publicly owned because it is a natural monopoly and currently the private sector underinvests in it. However, the provision of electricity (wholesalers and retailers) should be in the private sector and competition should be introduced to ensure lower prices and better customer service. Obviously, they should also be regulated by an industry regulator.
The current system is working against the best interest of australias manufacturing industries & the domestic rights &needs for affordable energy supply.If we were at war the power suuppliers gouging would be charged for profitteering .Why isnt this propersition be debated in the open forum????
Yes all utilities should be nationalised the cost has sky rocketed since privatisation gas water electric are basic to all and should not be used to gather ever increasing profits, i dont think efficiency has improved since privatisation every improvement has.to be paid for by the public so why dont we own it, we have been screwed by big six and the other utility companies in the pursuit of quite massive profit.
before utility companies were privatised how much did any goverment spend on updating water facilities like sewers and water mains? at least since privatisation the sytems have been updated from victorian times.
Oh yes- Nationalise the said needy human right services of water, gas and electricity as we are being over-charged by greedy, corrupt, parasitic corporations and bosses…❗️
Energy is an enduring natural resource of the planet & nobody should profit from it. Also it is a basic requirement for modern day living that we should have access to gas,electricity and water,therefore the cost to the consumer should only be that of R&D, maintenance of infrastructure. I am sick to the back teeth of spending hours looking for a “New” deal each year talking to call centers full of non productive individuals who pay lip service and do nothing. Long past time to return to public ownership and local boards. Devolve power to the people?