EurEau News

World Water Day 2025

This year we celebrate glaciers on World Water Day (22 March), and the important role they play in our environment, and for water resources everywhere.

Glaciers are a source of drinking water across Europe as the meltwater supplies water sources. However the rate of melting – due to climate change, over-exploitation and pollution - is increasing.
Read what Dimitris Tsiodras, MEP (GR, EPP, ENVI Committee) and Co-Chair of the MEP Group on Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Development has to say about glaciers here.  

Speaking out

Gari Villa-Landa, EurEau Senior Policy Advisor, spoke at the debate on the governance of producer responsibility organisations (PROs) under the recast UWWTD, organised by the EPR Club on 17 March, presenting our perspective for an effective and efficient implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

On 19 March, EurEau Secretary General, Oliver Loebel spoke at the workshop on PFAS Pesticides and TFA hosted by MEPs Cristina Guarda and Sigrid Friis.

Martin Silič, EurEau Policy Advisor, spoke at the 2nd meeting of recipients of the Tap Water Certificate, organised by the Slovenian Chamber of Public utilities on 20 March, presenting the European perspective on water management.

On 25 March, Sébastien Mouret, EurEau Policy Advisor, spoke at an event hosted at the European Parliament by ENVI chair Antonio Decaro, focused on water resilience strategies for Southern Europe.

On 27 March, the EurEau President, Pär Dalhielm attended the roundtable discussion chaired by Commissioner Jessika Roswall on “Water and Competitiveness of European Industry”.

EurEau members: meetings in the European Parliament

On 26 March, the EurEau member associations from Italy (Utilitalia) and Slovakia (AVS), organised meetings with key MEPs from their respective countries in the European Parliament.

EU news

Legislative developments

Water Resilience Strategy (WRS): EurEau responds

EurEau responded to the Commission’s call for evidence on the Water Resilience Strategy and Water Efficiency First Principle, which closed on 4 March. We also took part in the stakeholder consultation event held in Brussels on 6 March. The Commission is expected to publish the Strategy before the end of May.

Water legislation

EurEau reaction: legal challenges filed by the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors on the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

We note the legal challenge from the two sectors that will have to contribute to the EPR under the recast of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. EurEau urges national policy makers to continue the implementation of the recast UWWTD without delay, including the provisions on EPR to avoid delays in quaternary treatment. Read more.

Bathing Water Directive (BWD): evaluation published

The Commission published its Evaluation of the BWD on 6 March. The document praised the Directive for its effectiveness in improving bathing water quality in Europe but pointed to possibilities for improvement, including through the introduction of additional quality parameters. The Commission will now decide whether or not to revise the BWD.

The full Evaluation is available here, and an Executive Summary here.

Water and agriculture

Pesticides: EurEau supports MEP call for PFAS pesticide ban

We fully endorse the call from a group of 50 MEPs for an urgent ban on PFAS pesticides to protect public health and water resources. In a letter sent on 5 March, MEPs highlight that the “continued use of PFAS pesticides not only endangers public health but also undermines the EU's environmental commitments.”

EurEau published its narrative paper - PFAS Phase Out: A Prerequisite for a Water Resilient Europe – earlier this year. In it, we highlight the continued threat that PFAS pose to human health and the environment. Read more.

Pesticides: EU Member States ban PFAS substance

Member States adopted the Commission’s proposal to ban the endocrine-disrupting PFAS pesticide flufenacet.

EurEau applauds this step, as flufenacet degrades into TFA, a very persistent and very mobile substance that inceasingly pollutes our drinking water resources. However, no decision was taken regarding the non-renewal of another PFAS pesticide, flutolanil, although it also degrades into TFA.

More here.

Water and the environment

Omnibus Simplification Package: consultation on the amendments to the Taxonomy delegated acts

The European Commission published the Omnibus I package (26 February), addressing sustainability reporting.

This first package, together with two proposal addressing the simplification of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDDD), included a proposal for a delegated regulation amending the Taxonomy Delegated Acts. A public consultation was opened to share stakeholders’ views on the proposal.

We submitted our response, highlighting concerns that the changes could undermine source control of water pollution—critical for the Water Resilience Strategy, a competitive circular economy, and safe, affordable drinking water in Europe.

Water as an essential service

Resilience: Commission publishes European Preparedness Union Strategy

The European Commission published its European Preparedness Union Strategy, setting out actions to increase the societal resilience of the EU.

EurEau welcomes the recognition of water services as a prerequisite to maintain vital societal functions. We support the proposal to include resilience considerations in the EU budget. The Strategy rightly links societal resilience to water resilience, climate adaptation the bioeconomy and the circular economy. You can read to the strategy here.

Public Procurement Rules fitness check: EurEau submits feedback

We published our feedback to the call for evidence and public consultation on the Commission’s evaluation of the Public Procurement Directives.

We urge the Commission to:

- Improve public fund efficiency by refining criteria beyond price and streamlining extended timeframes to support timely EU-funded investments.

- Boost SME participation by reducing documentation, allowing flexible contract modifications, and increasing competition in small markets.

- Strengthen procurement with digital tools under the Utilities Directive (2014/25/EU) to ensure clear, crisis-ready, and adaptable processes.

Pollution: EU not on track to meet 2030 targets

The EU is unlikely to meet even half the targets to reduce pollution by 2030, according to the monitoring and outlook assessment published jointly by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and the EEA. In just one telling indicator, the report finds that the EU is unlikely to reduce microplastic emissions into the environment by 30%. Soil is also facing endangerment, with the goal of reducing soil nutrient losses by 50% being “unlikely”. Read more.

Events

24-28 August 2025 – SIWI World Water Week, Stockholm

23-25 September 2025 - NORDIWA, Oslo