European Commission, EESC and CoR launch Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform to accelerate action on Europe’s water resilience

More than 50 high-level experts from across the EU water sector gather in Brussels on 21 September for the first meeting of the Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform, launched by the European Commission together with the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions. The European Water Academy will hold its inaugural meeting in the afternoon.

The launch comes just days after President Ursula von der Leyen put water firmly on the EU’s political agenda in her State of the Union address, announcing a new European Water Initiative. Following a summer of extreme heat and record droughts, the need for water resilience in Europe has never been clearer. From farmers facing dwindling water resources to energy producers reducing output because of shortages, changes in the water cycle are affecting society and economy. The Commission is therefore stepping up efforts to ensure that no community is left behind and that the Water Resilience Strategy is implemented effectively and fairly across the Union.

Achieving Europe’s water resilience objectives by 2050 will require transformational change at every level and sector across society. Member States, cities and regions will all have a key role to play, alongside businesses, social partners, academia, young people, civil society and financial organisations. Europe’s strongest path forward remains the full implementation of the EU’s water legislation and the Water Resilience Strategy.

To support this effort, the new Platform will bring together a broad range of European stakeholders, including business representatives, water sector, civil society, regional and local authorities, and Member State governments. It will focus on selected priority areas linked to strengthening water resilience, including digitalisation and water efficiency, as well as opportunities to accelerate water reuse. The Platform will help identify barriers to implementation, propose practical solutions and ensure that the Strategy’s actions reflect a wide range of public and sectoral interests.

The Platform is being launched jointly by Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall, President of the European Economic and Social Committee Séamus Boland, and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions Carlos Moedas. The three institutions will serve as co-chairs throughout the Platform’s mandate.

Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: "This summer of extreme heat and drought has underlined more than ever how fundamental our water agenda is to increase our resilience, and the renewed political ambition set out in the State of the Union confirms this. To advance our EU Water Resilience Strategy, we are launching two key initiatives today. By kicking off the European Water Academy and the Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform, we are gathering everybody around the table to turn our ambitions into actions and ensure that implementation delivers results."

The establishment of a water stakeholder platform has been one of the key actions put forward by the EESC in its call for an EU Blue Deal back in 2023.  EESC President Séamus Boland said:" Through the EU Blue Deal, the EESC has consistently championed water as a strategic priority for Europe. Today's launch of the stakeholder platform is an important milestone in translating that ambition into action. As a farmer and as President of the EESC, I am proud to join forces with the European Commission and the CoR on an issue that touches every aspect of people's lives. Together, we are building the partnerships needed to secure Europe's water future."

Carlos Moedas, Vice-President of the Committee of the Regions and Mayor of Lisbon, added that "Europe has set the direction on water resilience. Now the European Union must turn that strategy into investment, innovation and action on the ground, empowering cities and regions to protect citizens and build more resilient territories.”

The launch will be followed by the first meeting of the European Water Academy. A flagship action under the Water Resilience Strategy, the Academy aims to build on Europe’s world leading water sector and wide expertise, upscale Europe’s response to the water crisis, and boost preparedness and professional skills. 

The EESC welcomes the creation of the Water Academy and advocates making it a coordinating platform that links existing institutions, training providers, utilities, industries, public authorities, trade unions and civil society organisations. By focusing on practical, operational skills, multidisciplinary learning and entry pathways for young people, the Academy can help address workforce challenges and support the upskilling and reskilling needed for the transition towards water resilience.

Live streaming for both events is available throughout the day.