EESC's Commission on Industrial Change calls for stronger EU action on water resilience in green and digital transitions

On 10 July, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)'s Consultative Commission on Industrial Change (CCMI) adopted a new opinion calling for smarter, more strategic water use in European industrial and other policies fostering the twin transitions. It calls for greater transparency around water data and substantial investment in sustainable infrastructure and water-efficient technologies.

The CCMI opinion on Water resilience and the twin transitions calls for smarter, fairer, more efficient use of water in industries as a way to complement and further boost Europe’s green and digital transformation. As water demand is growing with the rise of data centres, artificial intelligence and clean technologies, the opinion highlights the risk of placing even greater pressure on already limited water supplies and makes concrete recommendations for addressing the increasing water consumption with digital technologies.

The opinion calls on the EU institutions to ensure greater coherence in water policy and harmonisation of water-related policy objectives, and to consider the water-energy nexus in water management in order to reflect industrial water needs. It urges the EU to treat water as a strategic resource and to coordinate its use more effectively, giving different sectors the flexibility to align water policies with decarbonisation and digitalisation.

'Understanding the link between decarbonisation and industrial water consumption is essential to guiding the EU’s green transition policy sustainably,' said EESC rapporteur Carole Desiano.

To ease pressure on water resources, the opinion recommends supporting water-saving technologies through fiscal incentives, simplified permitting processes and priority access to EU funding programmes such as Horizon Europe. It also calls for water to be included as a strategic priority in the next EU budget, with a chapter dedicated to water in all funds.

The opinion is part of the EESC’s wider push for an EU Blue Deal, a comprehensive plan to secure Europe’s water future. It will be submitted for adoption by the EESC at its September plenary session, alongside the Committee’s contribution to the European Commission’s new Water Resilience Strategy.

During the debate, Piotr Sadowski, Secretary General of Volonteurope, presented the European Citizens' Initiative ECI for a water-smart and resilient Europe, highlighting the growing public demand and strong civil society engagement for stronger EU action on water justice and security for all, in line with the objectives of the Blue Deal.