http://www.epsu.org/a/8730 Since the early 2000s public enterprise in Cologne,
Germany’s fourth largest City, has undergone a major transformation. This has
seen the creation of the country’s largest municipal services consortium and
the return into public hands of key public services like waste management.
This is in stark contrast to the often flawed and corrupt
privatisations, public-private partnerships and cross-border leasings that
characterised the City’s services in the 1990s.
The Stadtwerke Köln, (Cologne public enterprise) was founded
over a hundred years ago and now serves one million inhabitants. Under the
umbrella of KWS Stadtwerke Köln GmbH, established in 2002 as central public
holding company, the city has assembled public service providers in water and
waste water services, waste management, public transport, telecommunication,
ports and railways, radio, public housing and baths.
Today, the Stadtwerke has 11000 employees and a turnover of
€5.2 billion. This includes ownership of 80% of the electricity utility
RheinEnergie AG, a public-private partnership with a 20% share owned by the
private sector energy company RWE.
full story at http://www.epsu.org/a/8730
Advice from EPSU www.epsu.org
