ABSTRACT
We have already seen that, in the case of the South, both the World Bank and the water TNCs are furthering a standardised approach to water resources management. The same movement can also be found in the North, where at least three organisations are promoting such a standardised approach following the Dublin Principles. The OECD emphasises the need for real cost water pricing. The Council of Europe, on the other hand, is more focused on local and regional aspects of water resources management and the idea of decentralisation. The third organisation we will discuss here is the European Union. It differs considerably from the other two inasmuch as it has a binding character on the member states. Its role is also different in that it is a technical legislator. As we will see, such technical legislation, especially in the area of environmental standards, has significant impact on private sector participation in Europe.
