BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – On Monday, the European Commission unveiled the Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform in Brussels, designed to facilitate collaboration among specialists, EU member states, and international observers. This new forum aims to support the European Water Resilience Strategy, which was adopted by the Commission in June 2025. Comprising 60 experts from various sectors and representatives from member nations, the platform also welcomes participation from international organisations as observers, thereby broadening the scope of dialogue on water policy, infrastructure, efficiency, and resilience.
Leadership of the platform is shared by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the European Committee of the Regions. Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall participated in the inaugural session alongside EESC President Seamus Boland and Committee of the Regions Vice-President Carlos Moedas. The initial meeting addressed the platform’s operational framework, water efficiency initiatives, and the EU’s digital water management strategy. These three institutions will steer the platform throughout its mandate.
The EU Water Resilience Strategy emphasizes three overarching objectives: restoring and safeguarding the water cycle, fostering a water-smart economy, and ensuring access to safe, affordable water and sanitation. Aiming for greater water efficiency, the strategy sets a target to improve water use by at least 10% across the EU by 2030. The Commission is working on a standardized method to assess progress towards these goals, with member states having the option to establish national targets tailored to their specific water conditions and needs.
Framework for Water Resilience Initiatives Established by the Platform
In response to a 2026 call for specialists, the platform invites experts in areas including water governance, financing, infrastructure, digitalisation, research, innovation, skills, and preparedness. Members will serve five-year terms according to rules set by the Commission and will contribute to a three-year work plan, which will be reviewed annually. The structure envisions two meetings per year in Brussels, unless a separate Water Resilience Forum takes place in a given year.
Digital water management is among the initial topics on the agenda. In May, the Commission issued a call for evidence concerning an EU action plan for digital water management. This work encompasses smart meters, sensors, data systems, and other tools designed to enhance infrastructure oversight and water efficiency. According to Commission materials, smart meters can cut water consumption by up to 25%, with additional savings possible through digital monitoring and leak detection systems.
European Water Academy Focuses on Skills, Research, and Innovation
The Brussels initiative also features the launch of the European Water Academy. This academy is part of the Water Resilience Strategy and is coordinated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Its activities center on enhancing skills, advancing research, fostering innovation, and facilitating technology transfer within the water sector. The launch event included presentations about the academy, its first EUWA Champions, and efforts to develop a new generation of water professionals throughout Europe.
The broader Water Resilience Strategy encompasses over 50 actions monitored by the Commission. Data from the EU indicate that only 37% of surface water bodies attain good ecological status, while 85% of bathing-water sites are classified as excellent. Additionally, more than 90% of urban wastewater is treated in accordance with EU standards. The stakeholder platform now provides EU institutions, national authorities, and specialists with a permanent forum to collaborate on water protection, efficiency improvements, investments, digital transformation, and ensuring access to clean water.