EESC Contribution to the UN Water Conference 2026: from the EU Blue Deal and Water Resilience Strategy to global water action - Related links

Main documents

United Nations 

Preparatory Documents

• 2026 United Nation Water Conference Preparatory meeting -  To support preparations for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference, a high-level preparatory was held in Dakar, Senegal, on 26–27 January 2026, co-organized by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the United Nations and partners (2025)
• Themes of the interactive dialogues of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference to Accelerate the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. – Documentation 2026 Water Conference (reports&letters)
• UNGA adopts six themes for UN 2026 Water Conference - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted six themes for the UN 2026 Water Conference, following an inclusive consultation process with Member States and stakeholders.
• Water Action Agenda (Outcome of the 2023 UN Water Conference) - Global framework for accelerating action on water and sanitation, serving as the political reference for the 2026 UN Water Conference and its six interactive dialogues.

European Commission & Joint Research Centre

Most recent publications

• COM/2025/280 final COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS European Water Resilience Strategy – European Water Resilience Strategy 2025
• Water resilience strategy – The european commission has developed a water resilience strategy to help the EU to improve the way we manage the water while making our business more competitive and innovative.
• Commission launches call for evidence for development of European Water Resilience Strategy - The European Commission has launched a call for evidence to seek input from stakeholders in designing the future European Water Resilience Strategy.
• EU Blue Deal - The EESC calls on the EU to adopt a comprehensive and strategic approach to water with its call for an EU Blue Deal.
• Water Resilience Strategy Actions Tracker  -       The Strategy sets out a pathway to make Europe water resilient.
• Questions and answers on Water Resilience Strategy - Why do we need a Water Resilience Strategy?
• Innovative strategies to boost EU water resilience - Focusing on issue of water scarcity, it explored how citizens can be more involved, and in turn how policies can better meet our needs.
• Climate and water resilience - Climate adaptation and water resilience.
• WaterStories from EU Citizens – A water resilient experiment
• Water Framework Directive - Setting out rules to halt deterioration in the status of EU water bodies and achieve good status for Europe’s rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Council of the European Union

Regulations, Directives and Resolutions

• Council pushes for a holistic water strategy to safeguard water resources and boost resilience - The conclusions reflect a unified call from environment ministers for stronger, coordinated action across Europe to address the growing water challenges facing the continent and regions within the EU.
• Position of the Council at first reading with a view to the adoption of
  a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy - Directive 2006/118/EC on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration and Directive 2008/105/EC on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy.
• Strengthening resilience in partner countries through EU external action - Council conclusions (18 July 2025) - Delegations will find in the annex the Council conclusions on strengthening resilience in partner countries through EU external action, as approved by the Council at its 4114th meeting held on 18 July 2025. 
• COP30: Council sets EU position for the climate conference in Belém - Conclusions on the EU's preparations for the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate 
• Water pollution: Council and Parliament reach provisional deal to update priority substances in surface and ground waters - Council presidency and the European Parliament’s representatives reached a provisional political agreement on a proposed directive to review and update the lists of pollutants affecting surface waters and groundwater.

European Parliament Research Service (EPRS)

• European water resilience strategy – At a glance EPRS study (2025)- Key elements of the proposed European Water Resilience Strategy for use by Members of the European Parliament, highlighting institutional context and policy priorities. 
• Sustainable water management in recovery and resilience plans Next Generation EU (NGEU) delivery / Sectoral focus -  How EU recovery instruments especially the Recovery and Resilience Facilitycontribute to sustainable water management and address challenges like variability in water access, drought risk and investment gaps?
• Pollutants in EU waters: Update of chemical substances listed for control - How EU water legislation aims to expand chemical monitoring and control in EU waters, including policy considerations relevant to resilience, pollution reduction and water quality management?
• Europe’s waters: key challenges and EU solutions - From water scarcity to pollution and climate risks - uncover the key issues concerning Europe’s waters and the Parliament’s proposals for water policy.
• Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Jessika Roswall – Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy 2024 - How EU environment legislation air, water, soil  fits into broader policy frameworks that tie into resilience and circular economy objectives?
• The future of water availability and use in the EU: A foresight study and policy options to address water scarcity - The study aims to offer an in-depth analysis of water scarcity, availability, and usage in the face of climate change.

European Parliament 

Regulations, Directives and Resolutions

• MEPs call for bolder EU action on water resilience - Parliament adopted its recommendations for the European Water Resilience Strategy, expected from the Commission before summer 2025.
• The European Water Resilience Strategy - Τhe European Parliament adopted by 470 votes to 81, with 92 abstentions, a resolution on the European Water Resilience Strategy.
• UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6): EU support through focused action - EU’s legal and policy Frameworks & setting the EU broader context of the UN 2030 Agenda.
• MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION - 
  REPORT on the European Water Resilience Strategy
• Cohesion funding: deal on mid-term update responding to new challenges – How European Parliament worked ensure that water resilience is recognized as a priority area eligible for EU cohesion funds under the mid-term update of the cohesion policy?

European Committee of the Regions

General

• Turning the tide – A Local and Regional Roadmap for Water Resilience COR draft opinion - Regions and cities must play a central role in implementing the EU’s water resilience strategy (2025)
• Towards Resilient Water Management to Fight the Climate Crisis - CoR opinion assesses existing EU water legislation and calls for new measures to reconcile competing water uses with climate adaptation and future water availability. It highlights the need for local/regional involvement in water governance.
• CoR Priority Resilience & Water Policy Integration - 2025–2030 strategic priority on resilience explicitly includes water as a key challenge for competitiveness, climate adaptation & territorial cohesion, framing water resilience within broader EU resilience priorities
• Water Resilience Forum - EU Water Resilience Forum with the European Commission and EESC in December 2025, highlighting its ongoing political role in shaping water resilience policy and collaboration with EU institutions. 

Additional Articles, Studies and Reports

General

• Towards a water-resilient Europe: insights from a new Territorial Impact Assessment - This territorial assessment supports the Turning the tide opinion by providing evidence on how water resilience measures affect regions different.
• Brussels asks EU countries to use less water - Countries would set their own water efficiency targets under the proposal, which would not be legally binding.
• A cup half empty, Europe’s water resilience strategy demands hard choices - Overexploitation of the EU water resources is impacting sanitation and sustainable agriculture. As Europe maps a path to water resilience, hard choices must be made.
• The European Water Resilience Strategy: a key lever to secure climate mitigation and adaptation - How the EU strategy serves as a framework for both climate mitigation and adaptation - key elements for analyzing policy integration ahead of the UN Water Conference.
• “Making the world water-resilient. What are the right steps?”  - EU’s ongoing work on a comprehensive multi-annual European Water Resilience Strategy, linking water security with climate action, biodiversity protection and sustainable land use.