Sustainable and resilient water infrastructures and distribution networks

Key points

    The EESC:

• believes that universal access to drinking water and sanitation of high quality at affordable prices for the population should be treated as a public good and not merely a commodity with full respect of Art. 14 of TFEU and the Protocol 26 annexed to TEU and TFEU.

• recommends that, the EU adopt and strengthen regulatory frameworks on water concession agreements, to guarantee universal access to water and sewage systems at an affordable price and with adequate quality standards and the restoration and protection of ecosystems and in order to ensure the necessary investments in infrastructure

• calls for the exemptions for water and wastewater set out in Directive 2014/23/EU, granted as a result of the successful ECI on "Right2Water" to be respected and maintained in the future.

• opposes any liberalisation obligation in the water and wastewater sector, especially in the context of the climate crisis.

• points out that the economy, in particular water-intensive industries and agriculture, should be organised in such a way as to reduce water consumption and improve water reuse.

• proposes to the European Commission the launch of a Europe-wide public consultation process, which, by assessing European water needs, will serve as the foundation of the future interventions of the "EU Blue Deal".