Water resilience is directly linked to local and regional development, regions and cities say

CoR President and co-rapporteur Kata Tüttő will address the First European Water Resilience Forum on 8 December.

Ahead of the first EU Water Resilience Forum taking place on Monday 8 December, regions and cities have recalled that water is not only a natural resource essential for the functioning of ecosystems, but also a key factor for regional and local development, resilience and competitiveness. The draft opinion adopted by the ENVE Commission of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 5 December points out that there is a direct correlation between the natural availability of water and the level of regional development, and EU policies must therefore prevent water from becoming a factor that hinders convergence between regions.

The opinion was presented to the ENVE Commission by the CoR President and co-rapporteur Kata Tüttő (HU/PES), who stressed that water resilience measures must be socially fair and affordable, particularly for vulnerable households, economic sectors highly dependent on water, and regions experiencing water stress. The CoR's Territorial Impact Assessment (TIA) on the European Water Resilience Strategy shows the substantial but uneven territorial implications of water resilience measures across EU regions, proving the need for differentiated, regionally adapted targets and implementation pathways based on local hydrological, climatic, infrastructural, economic, and governance conditions.

Local and regional leaders are calling for water management to be integrated systemically across all EU policy areas by applying a 'Water Test' to EU legislation, as suggested by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Regions and cities should have a truly effective role in decision making on water planning and management, also considering their role in cross-boundary river basin management. Since financing water resilience requires strategic, long-term budget commitments, the next multiannual EU budget should include dedicated headings and strong cohesion policy support implemented in partnership with local and regional authorities.

The draft opinion urges to tackle contamination at source and to deploy advanced water treatment technologies and monitoring systems across the entire water cycle to safeguard public health, restore ecosystems and ensure long-term water security. The simplification of EU water legislation through the 'Environmental Omnibus', foreseen for 10 December, should focus on improving administrative procedures and easing operational burden, while maintaining the polluter pays principle and the extended producer responsibility scheme and not compromising essential environmental standards, public health and access to data.

Local and regional leaders recall that reducing demand for water resources by promoting water savings, efficiency and reuse is a key element of water resilience and therefore welcome the introduction of the water efficiency first principle. As agriculture is the largest consumer of water resources in the EU, the Strategic Plans of the Common Agricultural Policy should provide targeted support to professionalise and modernise the sector through irrigation improvements, precision farming, water reuse, better soil and nutrient management, incentives to switch to less-water-intensive crops, buffer zones, and awareness campaigns, with particular attention to small farms.

The CoR will host the first EU Water Resilience Forum in Brussels on Monday 8 December. The event is co-organised with the European Commission and the EESC. President Tüttő will speak at the high-level opening session with the European Commission's Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera and Commissioner for Environment Jessica Roswall.

Quote:

CoR President Kata Tüttő, Member of the General Assembly of Budapest Capital and co-rapporteur of the opinion: "The scale of water resilience is vast: it touches health, agriculture, industry, ecosystems, and daily life in every city and region. And every drop carries political weight. Local and regional leaders striving to safeguard their territories face mounting pressures: droughts, floods, failing infrastructure, pollution, and deepening inequality. To build true resilience, we need sufficient funding, inclusive decision-making, and accountability at every level. We must reduce unnecessary administrative and operational burdens without compromising essential environmental standards and the responsibility of polluters. The Water Resilience Strategy must meet the era we live in - an age of scarcity, risk, and rising expectations - with systems that are safe, just, and sustainable for every community across a cohesive Europe."

More information:

President Tüttő and the First Vice-President Juanma Moreno (ES/EPP), President of Andalusia, are co-rapporteurs for the CoR opinion Turning the tide - A local and regional roadmap for water resilience. It is scheduled for final adoption in the plenary session on 4-5 March 2026. The opinion is a fruit of an extensive cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders. It outlines the key challenges and areas of progress pertaining to water management policy and stresses the imperative need to recognize both the diversity of situations, and the central role of LRAs in delivering on this existential topic.

The CoR's ENVE Commission has also published a new study on Managing flood risks: how to build water resilience in local communities, which analyses five case studies from across Europe and provides recommendations to local and regional authorities, national governments and the EU.

ENVE is the CoR's Commission for Environment, Climate Change and Energy. It is currently chaired by Kostas Bakoyannis (EL/EPP), Member of Athens City Council. During the 5 December meeting, ENVE members also exchanged views on the next long-term EU budget (Multiannual Financing Framework, MFF) with the CoR rapporteur Sari Rautio (FI/EPP), whose draft opinion on the European Commission proposal was adopted on 2 December. ENVE Commission will prepare an opinion on mainstreaming climate, energy and environmental priorities in the next MFF. It will be led by rapporteur Rafał Trzaskowski (PL/EPP), Mayor of Warsaw.

Contact:

Lauri Ouvinen
Tel. +32 473536887
[email protected]