• The European Commission launches the "European Water Resilience Strategy" in pursuit of a smart water economy.
• The strategy establishes more than 40 actions focused on three key objectives: water cycle, water industry and supply to the population.
• Target: Improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030

Water doesn't wait: Europe is activating its strategy to make it resilient, sustainable, and accessible to all. Thus, on June 4 , the European Commission ( EC ) launched the " European Water Resilience Strategy , " a roadmap that seeks to restore and protect the water cycle, guarantee clean and affordable access, and build a sustainable, smart, and competitive water economy. The clearest objective of the new strategy is to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030.

With 49 concrete actions , this strategy recognizes that water is an essential resource and increasingly vulnerable to climate change. It places Member States, regions, municipalities, businesses, and citizens at the heart of action to ensure a water-friendly future across the European Union (EU).

A strategy with 3 objectives

The Strategy focuses on three key objectives for common action:

1. Restore and protect the water cycle:
   Ensure the health of aquatic ecosystems from source to sea through the effective implementation of existing legislation (such as theWater Framework Directive and the Flood Management Directive ), along with efforts to retain water on land and combat its pollutants.
2. Ensure safe and affordable water for all:
   through awareness-raising campaigns, good practices and improvements in water use efficiency, especially in urban and agricultural contexts.
3. Promoting a water economy:
   Through innovation and competitiveness, with public-private investments in technologies for sustainable water management. Currently, 40% of water technology patents are promoted through R&D&I in Europe. Thus, for example, it is important to reduce water leakage by 2030 by supporting digitalization.

The Strategy aims to position Europe as an international leader. The EU therefore aims to promote a global water agenda with international partners and third countries, particularly through the Global Water Portal, which will be launched soon.

Actions in 9 areas

To achieve the objectives of the Strategy, the EC proposes actions in 9 areas:

1. Governance and implementation

To accelerate the implementation of the Strategy, structured dialogues will be organized with all Member States, as well as exchanges with regions, cities and water authorities to promote good practices .

2. Investments

The Commission will increase the Cohesion Policy funds available for water. Furthermore, the European Investment Bank (EIB) indicates the launch of a new "Water Programme" and a "Sustainable Water Advisory Facility " in its "Water Overview 2024" document , with over €15 billion in financing for the period 2025-2027.

3. Digitalization

An Action Plan on Water Digitalization will leverage the full benefits of digitalization, including artificial intelligence, for sustainable water management and use. Smart digital metering offers great potential for improving leak detection, and satellite data can facilitate, for example, the forecasting of rainfall, droughts, and so on. In this area, a single window for Copernicus water-related products is planned for 2026.

4. Research and innovation

The European Commission will launch an R&D&I strategy for water resilience and a "European Water Academy." In this field, the launch of the R&D Strategy on Water Resilience is expected in 2026. This strategy will address knowledge gaps, including the aquatic ecosystems-energy-food nexus, which has been identified.

5. Safety and preparation

The EC will improve early warning and real-time monitoring systems for floods and droughts, strengthening links between the European, national, and local levels. In this area, the Strategy proposes adopting a "European Climate Adaptation Plan" by 2026 to protect against the risks of floods and droughts.

The remaining areas of action are:

6. Restore and protect the water cycle; in this regard, the EC will contribute to the financing of manure storage facilities and promote nutrient circularity. It will also strengthen efforts to promote extensive farming practices in regions with high livestock concentrations.

7. Build a smart water economy.

8. Ensure clean and affordable water for all.

9. Boosting global action.

Role of the CAP

The EC considers sustainable food systems to be an important ally for water resilience, and the Common Agricultural Policy has a crucial role to play in them, which is aligned with the new " Vision for Food and Agriculture 2025" presented in March.

To this end, the following actions are proposed for the period 2025-2026 , directly related to agriculture:

• Maximize the use of the CAP Strategic Plans for water resilience through knowledge sharing and innovative solutions promoted by theEuropean CAP Network , the European Innovation Partnership (EIP-AGRI) , as well as improved and independent agricultural advisory services.

• In the next programming period, continue to incentivize farmers to improve the environmental and climate performance of their farms, including by improving water management.

Likewise, outlines are already being made for the next period , 2027-2033 . Regarding the agricultural sector, it is proposed that by 2027 the CAP Strategic Plans:

• Support practices (beyond mandatory requirements) to improve soil health (and therefore improve water retention and limit erosion) on 47% of EU agricultural land.
• Support for sustainable pesticide use practices and improved nutrient management should cover 27% and 15% of EU agricultural land, respectively.

Next steps

Starting in December 2025, the European Commission will convene a “Water Resilience Forum” every two years, enabling inclusive dialogue with EU stakeholders to advance the implementation of the Strategy.

Furthermore, in 2027, the Commission will conduct a review of the progress made in implementing the actions included in this Strategy.