Water must be a strategic priority for Europe, stressed the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) at its September plenary, session where it adopted three new opinions on water policy. The plenary debate gathered  together top EU and UN representatives, underscoring the EESC’s ongoing commitment to the EU Blue Deal, which it has championed for nearly four years.

Outgoing EESC Vice-President for Communication, Laurenţiu Plosceanu, opened the debate, saying ‘The Blue Deal has been one of the most far-reaching initiatives to come out of our Committee. Civil society, businesses, citizens and social partners are ready to work together to ensure water resilience now and in the years to come’.

Two years after the EESC’s Declaration for an EU Blue Deal, progress is clear: the EU has a water Commissioner, and the Water Resilience Strategy meets many core demands. Yet challenges remain. The EESC calls for cross-sector policy integration, greater focus on water in the Clean Industrial Deal and a water test for all new and revised EU legislation.

Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, said that EU water sanitation strategies must reflect human rights, not mere statements of intent: ‘Are we short of resources for a suicidal arms race? Apparently not. But for the human right to water there is suddenly no funding. It is a question of priorities.’

Pernille Weiss-Ehler, a member of the Cabinet of Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said that the Water Resilience Strategy goes beyond words: ‘It has 30+ actions to fix the water cycle, build a water-smart economy and ensure clean, affordable water for all.’

The EESC's three opinions provide a coherent approach to water resilience. The opinion on European Water Resilience Strategy welcomes the Strategy but calls for stronger governance, dedicated funding, a 10% efficiency target in sectoral plans and mandatory national leakage plans.

The opinion on water resilience and the twin transition links water to digitalisation and decarbonisation, calling for efficient tech, resilient data centres, use of AI and action in water-scarce areas.

The opinion on blue diplomacy and water cooperation stresses the need to integrate water into EU foreign and development policy to tackle scarcity, transboundary tensions and climate migration.

The plenary session confirmed the EESC’s determination to keep water high on the EU agenda, translating the Blue Deal into action. Mr Plosceanu said that the Committee will pursue its active role in the Water Resilience Forum, the Smart Industrial Alliance and setting up a Water Stakeholder Platform, and called for action before the 2026 UN Water Conference. (gb)