The German drinking water supply system is under pressure: European Commission plans indicate that the water supply should no longer be subject to municipal self-administration, but instead to European competition rules, and maybe even to a mandatory tendering procedure. Such a development would have far-reaching effects on the German drinking water supply. Against this background, Ecologic, in co-operation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, invited political actors from the European and national level, as well as representatives from the water industry, to an expert workshop that took place on 21 January 2004 in Berlin.