EurEau News
Merry Christmas!
We wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday season!
EurEau Briefing Note: The criticality of energy security to achieve resilient water services
Water services are critical infrastructure. Yet water security depends on energy security. Without reliable, affordable energy, water services cannot remain resilient. This challenge has become increasingly pressing for the European water sector.
This paper explores the challenges and opportunities at the water–energy nexus, highlighting how water services can actively contribute to a more resilient European energy system. It also looks at the innovative economic and financial instruments needed to unlock investment and strengthen long-term energy security for the sector.
Read our paper here.
Speaking out
Oliver Loebel, Sébastien Mouret and Gari Villa Landa from the EurEau secretariat moderated the three sessions of the BDEW/DVGW Water event in Brussels on 1 December.
EurEau Secretary General Oliver Loebel provided the key note speech of the Academia Meets Industry event of the Belgian IWA section on 2 December (Brussels, Belgium).
On 3 December, EurEau Policy Advisor Sébastien Mouret spoke on behalf of the CIRSEAU project consortium at the Water Projects Europe.
Oliver and our Senior Policy Advisor Gari Villa-Landa spoke at the 4th European Forum on the Regulation of Water Services (EFRWS25) organised by WAREG on 4 December, where they discussed financing of water services and implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), respectively.
EurEau President Pär Dalhielm and our Polish General Assembly Representative Klara Ramm both spoke at the EU’s first Water Resilience Forum in Brussels on 8 December.
On 9 December, Oliver gave an online presentation to the Greek water sector on European policy developments regarding PFAS.
On 10 December, Gari participated in the final Conference of the ReNutriWater Interreg Project, where she spoke about the challenges of quaternary treatment of urban wastewater and its financing through EPR.
Gari wrote an article for the Baltic Rim Economies 4/2025 Sustainable water management, on EPR Polluter-pays principle: cornerstone for sustainable water management. You can read it here.
EU news
Water legislation
Water resources: Commission threatens water protection rules to promote EU mining
The RESourceEU Action Plan presented by the Commission on 3 December contained a commitment to “review and revise the Water Framework Directive” within the next six months as part of a broader effort to increase the share of raw materials extracted, processed and recycled in the EU. We have strong concerns that a hasty reopening of the WFD, only months or weeks after the ongoing revision is to be concluded, would create considerable uncertainty for water operators and national authorities.
Read our full reaction here.
UWWTD: Updated JRC study on the costs of quaternary treatment
The European Commission published the Joint Research Centre (JRC) updated study on the costs of quaternary treatment of urban wastewater (10 December). The report compares the costs in the Impact Assessment (IA) accompanying the Commission proposal for the recast UWWTD (that used data from before 2021) with alternative estimates derived from recently published evidence. It shows that the alternative estimates support higher treatment costs per p.e. while total costs remain within the margin of uncertainty of the IA. It concludes that cost adaptation per se would not challenge the conclusions of the IA concerning the aggregated impact of costs on the industry and consumers, all the rest being equal. You can read it here.
Water and the environment
Environmental Simplification Package undermines water resilience goals
The European Commission has published a wide-ranging Environmental Simplification Package as part of its ongoing “simplification” agenda. The package covers environmental assessments, industrial pollution rules, substances of concern in products (SCIP) and EPR in solid waste management.
We consider several of these as running counter to water resilience goals. Read our full reaction here.
Taxonomy: Commission review of the TSC and DNSH criteria
On 7 November, the Commission launched two calls for evidence to review the technical screening criteria (TSC) and the do-no-significant-harm (DNSH) criteria in the Climate and Environmental Delegated Regulations supplementing the Taxonomy Regulation. Our feedback (which is the same for both) can be found here.
Climate adaptation: European climate resilience and risk management – integrated framework
On 1 December, and following the call for evidence, the Commission launched the public consultation for the future European climate resilience and risk management – integrated framework (deadline 23 February 2026). Given the need for water services to adapt to the changing climate and the role they can play in Europe’s adaptation to climate change, we will submit feedback to the consultation.
Biocidal Products Regulation: Commission launches evaluation
On 11 December, the Commission launched a call for evidence and public consultation on the evaluation of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 on biocidal products (BPR).
The evaluation will assess how the BPR, including its delegated and implementing acts, is performing regarding its objectives, as well as if it meets existing and emerging needs. It will also assess whether the BPR is coherent with other relevant legislation. The deadline for feedback to the call for evidence and public consultation is 5 March 2026.
PFAS: ECHA progresses on PFAS restriction proposal
The December meetings of ECHA’s Risk Assessment and Social and Economic Analysis Committees continued the work on PFAS manufacturing and horizontal issues such as concentration limits, recycling, spare parts, monitorability etc. The SEAC considered restriction options for PFAS manufacturing. ECHA still plans to adopt its risk assessment position in March 2026 and achieve agreement in SEAC by the same date. This would be followed by a 60-day public consultation on socio-economic aspects. The final ECHA proposal could be adopted before the end of 2026.
Water and agriculture
Pesticides: Commission weakens protection of water resources
The Commission published a new omnibus proposal as regards the ‘simplification and strengthening of food and feed safety requirements’. Some proposed amendments are in contradiction to the Water Resilience Strategy and weaken the protection of drinking water resources.
The Commission proposal is here and the EurEau reaction here.
Other news
EBC Annual Benchmarking Workshop 2025
From 19–21 November 2025, the EBC Foundation held its annual International Benchmarking Workshop in the Netherlands, hosted by Vitens N.V. and KWR. The program featured keynote sessions, assessment results analysis, and expert presentations on sustainability, asset management, climate resilience, AI-driven solutions, GHG accounting, regulatory updates and more. The event concluded with forward-looking discussions and site visits to KWR and Tull en ’t Waal. For more: EBC’s workshop.
Horizon Europe: Call for projects under the 2025 Work Programme for Cluster 5
The European Commission is providing financing under Horizon Europe’s 2025 Work Programme for Cluster 5, for projects in the area of climate, energy and mobility. More details here.
Events
23-27 August 2026 – World Water Week 2026. Read the thematic scope for 2026.
16-18 September 2026 – Svenskt Vatten hosts the NORDIWA Nordic Drinking Water Conference in Stockholm. You can visit the conference website: NORDIWA: Home.