BRUSSELS / RankWire.AI / – Brussels saw the European Commission establish the Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform on Monday, uniting specialists, EU member states, and international observers. The newly formed forum aims to bolster the European Water Resilience Strategy, which the Commission approved in June 2025. Comprising 60 experts from various sectors and representatives from member countries, the platform also invites international organisations to participate as observers, thereby broadening the scope for discussions on water policy, infrastructure, efficiency, and resilience.
Leadership of the platform is shared between the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the European Committee of the Regions. Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall joined the inaugural session alongside EESC President Seamus Boland and Committee of the Regions Vice-President Carlos Moedas. The initial meeting concentrated on establishing the platform’s operational procedures, water efficiency initiatives, and the EU’s digital water management strategy. Over its mandate, these three institutions will steer the forum’s activities.
The EU Water Resilience Strategy prioritizes three long-term objectives. It emphasizes restoring and safeguarding the water cycle, fostering a water-smart economy, and ensuring access to safe, affordable water and sanitation. Additionally, the strategy aims for at least a 10% improvement in water efficiency across the EU by 2030. The Commission is working on a standardized approach to measure progress toward these targets, while member states are encouraged to set national objectives that align with their specific water challenges and conditions.
Framework Established for Water Resilience Efforts
Following a 2026 call for specialists in areas such as water governance, financing, infrastructure, digitalisation, research, innovation, skills, and preparedness, the platform’s membership will serve five-year terms according to rules set by the Commission. Participants will help develop a three-year work plan, which the platform will review annually. The structure includes two meetings per year in Brussels, unless a separate Water Resilience Forum is scheduled for that year.
Digital water management is among the initial topics on the agenda. In May, the Commission launched a call for evidence concerning an EU action plan for digital water management. This initiative covers smart meters, sensors, data systems, and other tools designed to enhance infrastructure oversight and water efficiency. According to the Commission’s materials, the use of smart meters can cut water consumption by as much as 25%, with additional savings achieved through digital monitoring and leak detection methods.
European Water Academy Focuses on Skills, Research, and Innovation
The Brussels initiative also involves the launch of the European Water Academy. This academy, part of the Water Resilience Strategy and coordinated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, concentrates on skills development, research, innovation, and technology transfer within the water sector. The launch event featured presentations about the academy, its first EUWA Champions, and the development of a new generation of water professionals across Europe.
The broader Water Resilience Strategy encompasses more than 50 actions monitored by the Commission. Data indicate that only 37% of surface water bodies meet good ecological status. Meanwhile, 85% of bathing-water sites are classified as excellent. Over 90% of urban wastewater is treated in accordance with EU standards. The stakeholder platform now provides a permanent forum for EU institutions, national authorities, and experts to collaborate on water protection, efficiency, investment, digitalisation, and access to clean water.