Ensuring the Resilience of European Water Ecosystems for the Future

The European Commission has adopted the EU Water Resilience Strategy, a comprehensive plan aimed at creating a water-resilient and water-smart economy across the continent. This strategy prioritises ecosystem-based solutions and innovation in water efficiency.

At the heart of this initiative are public-private partnerships, which will be scaled to address water issues. The strategy empowers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to innovate in water-efficient solutions, providing them with flexible, sector-specific demand-side targets.

The EU Water Resilience Strategy outlines 30 actions to restore the broken water cycle, ensure clean and affordable water and sanitation for all, and build a circular water-wise economy. To achieve this, the Commission plans to mobilise €15 billion via the European Investment Bank for water resilience.

The strategy also enforces the polluter-pays principle and applies a proportional application to ensure SMEs have access to safe and affordable substitutes. It sets discharge guidelines for SMEs and includes dedicated SME support channels within existing financial instruments.

To boost digitalisation and innovation, the strategy aims to boost digitalisation and set a target to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030. The Commission will also ban Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in consumer goods.

SMEunited, a European SME association, has urged the strategy to provide stronger financial and technical incentives for SMEs. Specific companies or industry associations named as water efficiency pioneers in the EU Water Resilience Strategy have not been publicly detailed by the Commission, but they receive support measures such as tailored technical assistance, access to financing instruments, and integration into knowledge-sharing platforms to improve water efficiency.

The Commission sets a target to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030. Structured dialogues will be launched to assess climate risks and protect water infrastructures. A global water agenda for cross-border water cooperation will be established, and the strategy's rollout and monitoring must respect subsidiarity.

Lastly, the EU Water Resilience Strategy aims to boost digitalisation and innovation, with a focus on the 'Water Efficiency First' principle, prioritising water reuse and demand-side management. To ensure resilience, the Commission plans to strengthen real-time warning systems and ensure accessible climate risk mapping tools.

This ambitious strategy marks a significant step towards a more sustainable and resilient Europe, ensuring clean water for all and fostering a water-wise economy.