Source: European Parliament
The EU provides significant financial support to address water management and scarcity. Between 2021 and 2027, EUR 13.2 billion of Cohesion Policy funds[1] are earmarked for sustainable water management.
The Recovery and Resilience Facility[2], and several missions and partnerships under Horizon Europe[3] also provide support for water resilience[4].
The Common Agricultural Policy[5] offers inter alia support[6] for water efficiency and water reuse in the agricultural sector, climate smart agriculture and innovation, and risk and crisis management tools.
The EU programme for the environment and climate action[7] co-finances innovative projects in the environmental sector, including recovery of resources from water.
Preparatory work and reflections are ongoing for the next multi-annual financial framework.
Supporting Member States on climate risk preparedness will be part of a European Climate Adaptation Plan[8].
Moreover, the European Water Resilience strategy[9] will aim to ensure water resources are properly managed, scarcity is addressed, and that the water industry’s innovation is enhanced and takes a circular economy approach.
It will build on ongoing efforts on water scarcity and drought management in the context of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive[10], including through the Ad Hoc Task group for Water Scarcity and Droughts[11], and the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy[12].
The Commission will also continue supporting the tourism ecosystem under the Tourism transition pathway[13] to increase water efficiency, reducing water stress and pollution, and improving sanitation, as well as consider how to best support tourism businesses and destinations in the next EU budget.
- [1] https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/stories/s/21-27-Sustainable-water-management/ehce-gj6d
- [2] https://next-generation-eu.europa.eu/index_en
- [3] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
- [4] Of particular relevance are the partnerships ‘Water Security for the Planet’ (https://www.water4all-partnership.eu/), the Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA, https://prima-med.org/) together with the Missions ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’ (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters_en) (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters_en) (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters_en), ‘Adaptation to Climate Change’ (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/adaptation-climate-change_en) (https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/adaptation-climate-change_en) and a ‘Soil Deal for Europe’ (https://mission-soil-platform.ec.europa.eu/).
- [5] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/common-agricultural-policy_en
- [6] Different types of support include area-based support, grants and financial instruments for investments.
- [7] LIFE: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en
- [8] https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/president-elect-ursula-von-der-leyen_en
- [9] https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/president-elect-ursula-von-der-leyen_en
- [10] Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1-73, as amended by Commission Directive 2014/101/EU of 30 October 2014, OJ L 311, 31.10.2014, p. 32-35.
- [11] In this context, the Commission has been assessing the impact of droughts and future drought risks: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/water/water-scarcity-and-droughts_en
- [12] https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/adaptation-climate-change/eu-adaptation-strategy_en
- [13] https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/tourism/eu-tourism-transition/tourism-transition-pathway_en