ABSTRACT
The European Union (EUs) requests for water services liberalization, particularly water for human usethe collection, purification, and distribution of natural waterin developing and least-developed countries, sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, especially among non-governmental organization (NGOs). The General Agreement of Trade in Services (GATS) contains the first set of multilateral rules governing the liberalization of international trade in services. The launch of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and a new round of GATS negotiations occurred alongside brewing concern over the implications of the GATS for national autonomy, democracy, and the ability of governments to regulate in the public interest, particularly in poor countries. This chapter told two stories. One story is of an NGO-led protest campaign that succeeded in educating the public and parliamentarians alike about an arcane trade agreement. The second is one of a tempest in a teapot. Despite all of the successes of the campaign against water services liberalization, NGOs were unable to bring about substantive policy change.
