This morning, we had the privilege of organising a high-level policy discussion at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Antonio Decaro, Chair of the ENVI Committee. The event brought together institutional representatives, national water authorities and industry leaders to address one of Europe’s most urgent and systemic challenges: securing long-term water resilience across Southern Europe.
As highlighted during the discussion, the Mediterranean region is experiencing prolonged droughts, increasing water loss – up to 25% of basins each year – and frequent extreme weather events, with over 30% of the population already exposed to water stress. Climate change has made these phenomena recurrent and structural, requiring an equally structured, long-term European response.
We are particularly grateful to Paulina Dejmek Hack, Head of Cabinet to Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, for sharing the European Commission’s approach to the forthcoming Water Resilience Strategy – underlining the importance of innovation, digitalisation, better implementation, and stronger support to Member States.
We would also like to thank MEP Thomas Bajada, rapporteur of the European Parliament’s Own-Initiative Report on the Water Resilience Strategy, for outlining a clear and ambitious vision structured around key pillars such as water efficiency, pollution prevention, improved governance, innovation, and cross-border cooperation. His call for a dedicated budget line in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework reflects the need to turn strategic priorities into actionable investments.
Thanks also to Trine Christiansen, from the European Environment Agency, for presenting key findings from the 2024 water report: a decline in both the quantity and quality of water resources, despite better data and growing awareness. The gap between knowledge and action remains.
We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the Permanent Representations of Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, who stressed the need to tailor European action to regional vulnerabilities while fostering cross-border solidarity.
Finally, a sincere thank you to all the stakeholders who took the floor – from public utilities and regulators to private operators and industry leaders – for sharing concrete proposals, best practices, and strategic insights. Their interventions confirmed that water resilience is not just an environmental imperative, but a matter of competitiveness, equity, and long-term sustainability.
As MUST & Partners, we will continue to support meaningful, high-level dialogue to advance shared priorities for Europe’s future.
