Water Europe continues to engage with the EU Commission to strengthen the alignment of water and energy policies in a meeting with Commissioner Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing.
This meeting focused on the strategic framing of the Water Resilience Strategy and accelerating the integration of the Water-Energy Nexus into DG ENER’s agenda, which is a priority for ensuring Europe’s water security, energy transition, and climate adaptation.
The key messages conveyed were:
🔹The importance of integrating water resilience into energy and housing policy, aligning with the objectives of the Water Resilience Initiative.
🔹Emphasising that the water-energy nexus should be central to EU energy and housing strategies, connecting climate adaptation and circular economy goals.
🔹Advocating for a “Water Efficiency First” principle that reflects a water-first mindset across housing, industry, and energy generation.
🔹Supporting smart infrastructure investment and encouraging innovation in digital twins, sensor networks, and integrated smart grids to optimise performance and minimise resource waste.
At the same time, other key points referred to were:
– The need to implement current EU water-related legislation and promoting investment in clean tech, water-smart systems, and skills.
– Encourage coordination with DG ENV and DG AGRI for integrated approaches to water reuse in energy systems.
– Ensure water is integrated in the Affordable Housing Plan and urban climate adaptation investments.
– Include construction and engineering perspectives in the enforcement of the Drinking Water Directive and the promotion of smart, resilient infrastructure.
– Enable full involvement of water stakeholders in policy dialogues and progress reports under the implementation of energy policy.
We thank Commissioner Jørgensen for this constructive exchange and look forward to continued collaboration with DG ENER and the EU Commission. Water Europe will continue advocating for systemic, cross-sectoral collaboration to ensure the central role of water as a strategic enabler in achieving the EU’s economic, environmental and social goals.
