Council pushes for a holistic water strategy to safeguard water resources and boost resilience 16:36 The Council today approved conclusions on the European water resilience[...]

Today, the Council approved conclusions on the European water resilience strategy. The conclusions reflect a unified call from environment ministers for stronger, coordinated action across Europe to address the growing water challenges facing the continent and regions within the EU.

The strategy aims to secure clean and affordable water for all, while ensuring the resilience of ecosystems and the economy through a sustainable, integrated approach to water management. The conclusions adopted today mark a significant step towards safeguarding Europe's water resources in the face of overexploitation and mismanagement, climate change, environmental degradation and pollution risks.

In particular, ministers underline the critical need to restore the water cycle, which is fundamental to Europe's water supply and vital ecosystems. They stress that this is key to ensuring long-term resilience against climate-related water extremes such as floods, droughts and rising temperatures in both freshwater and marine environments.

The ministers emphasise the importance of preventing water pollution at the source, including by addressing emerging pollutants such as PFAS and other harmful chemicals.

It highlights the need for equitable access to water and sanitation, reinforcing the importance of modernising networks, reducing water loss and enhancing distribution systems to ensure no one is left behind.

The Council also reiterates the strategic importance of water resilience for the EU's competitiveness, food security and crisis preparedness. The conclusions stress the need for continued investments in resilient infrastructure, digital tools and early warning systems to mitigate the impacts of water extremes. Water resilience was highlighted as central to crisis preparedness, societal stability, and environmental security, including protection against threats such as sabotage, cyberattacks, and external disruptions to water supply. The Council also calls for urgent improvements to water infrastructure, including in remote areas and on islands.

Next Steps

In the conclusions, ministers invite the Commission to report on the progress of the strategy's implementation, with a mid-term review planned for 2027. In the meantime, member states are also encouraged to integrate water resilience into their national policies and funding frameworks.

Background

In February 2025, the Commission issued a series of reports assessing the state of water in the EU. These assessments showed that 34% of the EU is affected by water scarcity and only 37% of surface water bodies have a good ecological status and less than 30% have good chemical status.

Against this backdrop, in June 2025, the Commission presented the European water resilience strategy, which builds on the EU's 2050 vision for water resilience presented at the 2023 UN Water Conference in New York. The strategy frames water resilience as a matter of security, crisis preparedness and strategic autonomy for the EU. It also highlights the economic dimension, describing sustainable water management and innovation as opportunities to strengthen Europe's industrial base, competitiveness and global leadership.

The strategy is underpinned by three core objectives: restoring and protecting the water cycle, developing a water-smart economy, and ensuring clean and affordable water for all.

• Council conclusions on a European Water Resilience Strategy
• Council conclusions on a European Water Resilience Strategy - Statement
• European water resilience strategy
• Water (background information)