Water has been a key topic with several discussions during 2019-2020. The revision of the Water Reuse Regulation is not completed, opening up new opportunities through the definition of the minimum requirement for reclaimed water to be used in agriculture and hence reduce the pressure on water bodies and groundwaters.
In June, the Commission also announced that the WFD will not be revised, focusing on the necessity to meet the targets. W.E. is glad that the voice of the innovative water sector was the heart and our fruitful campaign was impactful, particularly through the coalition “Water Is everyone’s business” in which several WE members participated actively to preserve high standards.
In July, the European Council reached an agreement on the 2021-2027 budget and the Next Generation EU tool. The German presidency welcomed this consensus between the 27. Von der Leyen also welcomes the agreement despite her regrets that the European Council had made far-reaching adjustments that decrease the innovative part of the budget.
The European Parliament is more critical on some of the main aspects of the agreement, especially on the long-term perspective, where key programmes have been considerably cut, affecting seriously investment, and reducing resilience. This agreement contains a drastic reduction on pillars 2 and 3 from NEXT EU generation, with the suppression of the additional financial support for the EFSI, New EU4health and the external action and reductions affecting RescEU and HorizonEurope.
In the following months, water management will be a core topic with two dossiers: Industrial Emission Directive (IED) and Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). On this context, WE is ready to voice the importance of fostering innovative solutions to achieve a Water-Smart Society in Europe.
