EEB: Water Resilience Strategy Reaction
The strategy includes some positive elements, such as emphasizing the importance of implementing EU aquis, but lacks binding commitments, dedicated funding, and only introduces limited government tools to support implementation.
Water resilience is the ability of water systems (natural and engineered) to withstand and recover from any disturbances, adapt to future challenges, and maintain their functions despite disturbances. The European Water Resilience Strategy begins with the importance of water, as access to clean and affordable water is a human right and a public good. Still, water resilience is a matter of security and crisis preparedness in the EU. The strategy frames water resilience as a significant business opportunity for EU industry, as sustainable water management and innovation can help strengthen Europe’s businesses and competitiveness. Water resilience strategies also offer opportunities to build alliances with international partners.
The overall goal of the EU Water Resilience Strategy is to put it at the top of the political agenda, providing water security for all.
The 3 objectives are:
1. Restoring and protecting the water cycle as basis for sustainable water supply.
2. Building a water-smart economy together with citizens and economic actors in a way that supports EU competitiveness, is attractive to investors and supports a thriving EU water industry.
3. Securing clean and affordable water and sanitation for all at all times, and empowering citizens for water resilience.
The strategy culminates in a Water Resilience Forum, to take place every two years beginning in December 2025, to maintain an inclusive dialogue to address progress and any issues with implementing the strategy. The EU Commission calls upon Member States, institutional partners, businesses, and all parts of society to take action and implement this water resilience strategy. “Water efficiency first” means taking all necessary measures to reduce water demand, over overexploiting additional water resources. Consumption should be reduced first, followed by measures to increase efficiency, followed by the reuse of wastewater, and the expansion of water supply. The Commission Recommendation on guiding principles of water efficiency first maintains an emphasis on Member States applying this principle, taking economic, social, and environmental considerations into account when adopting national measures on water management. It states that the EU should aim to enhance water efficiency by at least 10% until 2030. The Commission also recommends improving efficient water resources management, increasing training, and raising awareness, along with transboundary cooperation and an international dimension.
The European Environmental Bureau’s reaction notes the lack of “binding commitments, dedicated funding, and introduces only limited governance tools to support implementation”. However, the EEB considers the positive elements, like a strong call to implement existing EU water laws for achieving water resilience, and references to Nature-based Solutions (Nbs - which is an improvement compared to the European Parliament’s position, favoring grey infrastructure and techno-fixes). However, there are no legally binding targets or dedicated funding to scale up NbS.
Nature-based solutions are essential for effectively addressing climate challenges, disaster risk reduction, and biodiversity loss, while benefiting people and nature. These solutions involve protecting, sustainably managing, or restoring natural ecosystems, offering a holistic approach to tackling multiple issues, and providing sustainable long-term solutions.
The Commission even recognizes PFAS and nutrient pollution as key threats to water pollution, proposing integrated monitoring, support for Member States to reduce nutrient run-off, and a Public-Private Partnership for PFAS detection.
The Strategy includes voluntary targets to improve water efficiency by 10% by 2030, but with no baseline, sectoral roadmap, or enforcement mechanisms to help states achieve it. There are no binding limits or ecological flow requirements.
Overall, the strategy includes essential aspects of water resilience, such as implementation of certain goals, but without binding commitments, funding, and government back support, making it more difficult for Member States to achieve these goals.
Commission Recommendation on guiding principles of water efficiency first
Annex to the Commission Recommendation on guiding principles of water efficiency first
EEB reaction: Joint LRE press release