Much has been written about the effects of "rights" on access to basic services such as water and health care. By contrast, very little is know about the effects of legislation and constitutional reforms that are designed explicitly to prevent, resist or reverse privatization and promote public services. It is unclear to what extent such legal tools can assist in developing, sustaining and improving effective public service provision. The MSP is undertaking research that explores these legal mechanisms, both in terms of their theoretical foundations and their actual impacts. Examples include Uruguay’s constitutional amendments on water privatization and the growing array of legislation in Europe that only allows publicly owned companies to provide water services.
