For the past three years, the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Parliament’s MEP Water Group have walked side by side in calling for a comprehensive EU Blue Deal – a strategic response to Europe’s growing water challenges. This collaboration continued on 12 May with a joint panel discussion at the European Parliament on Water Challenge and Opportunities in the current European policy context.  The event also featured the screening of the documentary on water Facing the Unknown by Dieter-Michael Grohmann, inspired by the book Emergency Preparedness written by EESC Member Paul Rübig and Achim Kaspar.

Water challenges and solutions

Water is our most vital yet increasingly threatened resource, facing increasing pressure from climate change, pollution, and overuse. One of the key takeaways from the panel discussion was that water scarcity must not be seen as only an environmental issue, but a multidimensional challenge. The EESC’s call for an EU Blue Deal aims to ensure fair access, sustainable management, and long-term resilience of water systems across Europe, calling for a strategic policy on water integrated into all EU policies.

Chair of the MEP Water Group Hildegaard Bentele pointed out that «Water a strategic concern for economic competitiveness and the geopolitical economy, while the President of the EESC’s Consultative Committee on Industrial Change, Pietro de Lotto reinstated that “We need a realistic approach that includes the environmental, social, industrial and agricultural dimensions.»

The speakers also identified the potential challenges and the measures necessary to implement a comprehensive water strategy. Several of the proposed measures centered around technology and data. MEP Bentele suggested the use of AI-powered water monitoring systems, while de Lotto laid out the link between technology and implementation clearly, saying “Without metering, there is no data. Without data, there is no policy”. EESC member Paul Rübig called for better interoperability of digital and AI systems so that these can be easily implemented across all EU member states.

As for what we can expect from the European Commission’s water strategy, Pernille Weiss-Ehler, member of the Cabinet of Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said that “We want Europe to become a role model and a living lab for the rest of the world”. She highlighted the need to create a cross-border strategy, to engage in discussions with international partners such as the UN and the Global South and acknowledged how achieving an effective Blue Deal is integral to the success of the Green Deal.

Facing the Unknown

The documentary examines the current global water crisis and the potential impact it may have in Europe in the future through the eyes of Luna, a young Belgian student. Through interviews with industry experts from various sectors, the film shed light on how water scarcity affects people and businesses and what we can do to address this on a local, regional and national level.

The screening of this film is timely and highly relevant given that the European Parliament just released a new report on the Blue Deal on 7 May and the European Commission is expected to publish its long-awaited Water Resilience Strategy before the start of the summer. The Parliament’s collaboration with the EESC on this issue underscores the importance of integrating civil society’s perspectives into EU policymaking on water resilience. In its recently adopted opinion on EU’s next multiannual financial framework, the EESC has called for a strong role for water investments in the EU’s future budget.

Looking to the Future

While water scarcity remains a serious concern and a comprehensive plan is urgently needed, this event gave stakeholders many reasons to be hopeful about the future.

The presence of representatives from three EU institutions, the EESC, the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as various stakeholders, demonstrates a shared commitment to advancing Europe’s water agenda. Civil society, industry, and policymakers are aligned in their call for urgent action.

As the EU awaits the Commission’s strategy, the message from Facing the Unknown is clear: Europe must act now to preserve and protect water, its most essential resource.