On September 24, Water Europe’s Director, Durk Krol, took part in a high-level panel discussion on boosting water resilience in Europe, hosted by the Brussels Sustainability Club. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to explore strategies for strengthening Europe’s capacity to adapt to growing water challenges.
Durk Krol emphasized Water Europe’s vision of bridging research and innovation with market uptake, while reinforcing collaboration with the European Commission to ensure effective implementation of the forthcoming Water Resilience Strategy.
Key Panel Takeaways
Discussions focused on concrete measures to embed water resilience in Europe’s policy and funding frameworks, including:
– Securing €300 billion in dedicated funding across major segments of the EU budget.
– Improving data collection on water use and exploring an EU-wide water efficiency target, mirroring the approach taken in energy.
– Establishing harmonised standards across Member States, backed with clear guidance and incentives for industrial water reuse.
– Tackling pollution at its source, while enforcing the polluter-pays principle enshrined in the EU Treaty.
These recommendations reflect the growing consensus that ensuring Europe’s water resilience is critical for competitiveness, sustainability, and security.
Distinguished Speakers
The panel featured valuable insights from:
– Veronica Manfredi, Director for Water Resilience, European Commission
– Thomas Bajada, Member of the European Parliament (S&D, Malta)
– Bonaldi da Costa, Head of EU Affairs, GRUNDFOS
The discussion was moderated by Paola Basta, with the event supported by GRUNDFOS and hosted by Business & Science Poland.
