The MEP Water Group

About

The MEP Water Group was created in 2009 as the intergroup water to address water as a priority resource in EU policies in a systemic way, and then continued during the last legislature under the chairmanship of MEP Pernille Weiss-Ehler. Since 2016, the MEP water group has also been the platform to present the UNESCO Water Reports in the European Parliament.

The MEP Water Group is the focal point for the water topic in the European Parliament (EP) and to support the EP in leading by example to ensure water for all users and uses, and being the frontrunner to deliver the relevant tools to build a prosperous and competitive Europe for people.

The MEP Water Group will support the work of the European Parliament in making better legislation on water-related issues. The MEP Water Group aims to:

  • Raise the importance of water, highlighting water as a cross-cutting topic in EU policies.
  • Promote water resilience and management, ensuring Europe’s water resources are managed sustainably and equitably for societal and economic benefits.
  • Encourage innovation, supporting technological and non-technological innovations to tackle water-related challenges.
  • Guarantee access to clean water and sanitation, promoting access and sanitation for all, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6

The MEP Water Group is a forum that aims to ensure the profile of water as a cross-cutting topic in EU decision-making and make sure that Europe’s water resources are managed in a sustainable way to the benefit of the European economy and society as a whole, fostering the value of water and a water-smart society in Europe.

About MEP Water Group
Over 78% of Europeans believe additional measures are needed to address water-related challenges.

Over 78% of Europeans believe additional measures are needed to address water-related challenges.

(EU Barometer May 2024)

The Ambition

Water is increasingly under threat from the triple crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. There is an urgent need for decision-makers to address water scarcity, pollution and extreme events. Water stands at the intersection of multiple European ambitions: from ensuring Europe’s food security to enabling the green and digital transition and bolstering re-industrialisation efforts. Water resilience and management are essential to meet these objectives and safeguard access to water for all.

The MEP Water Group serves as a strategic interface between the water sector and European policymaking, translating sectoral priorities into tangible legislative momentum. It plays a decisive role in elevating water on the EU agenda and shaping forward-looking water policy.

In July 2024, the European the Council adopted its conclusions on the strategic agenda 2024-2029, making water a priority for ecosystems, human life and the functioning of the economy and our society. This legislature is an opportunity to build a Water-Smart Society in Europe, going beyond the conclusions of the Letta Report, strengthening the European strategic autonomy and competitiveness. In 2023, along with the European Committee of Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, the MEP Water Group called for a water strategy to realise these objectives. These actions have culminated in the announcement of a Water Resilience Strategy by President von der Leyen in the Political Guidelines 2024-2029 and the appointment of Commissioner Roswall as Commissioner for the Water Resilience Strategy.