EurEau News
Speaking out
EurEau Vice President Brian Murphy took part in a panel discussion at the Conference of the Parties to the WHO/UNECE Protocol on Water and Health on 5 November in Budapest, Hungary.
EurEau Secretary General Oliver Loebel spoke at the European Drinking Water Quality Conference on PFAS and other pollutants in drinking water resources, also on 5 November, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
On 12 November, Oliver addressed the Balkans Conference in Durres, Albania, where he discussed the future financing of water services. He also presented to the Global PFAS Science Panel at their event on 14 November in Brussels.
EU news
Water legislation
EurEau, Copa-Cogeca and IFOAM Call on the Commission to Uphold the EPR Scheme in the rUWWTD
EurEau, together with Copa-Cogeca and IFOAM Organics Europe, has sent a joint letter to the President of the European Commission urging the EU to maintain the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme as agreed in the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (rUWWTD). Read more here.
Safeguarding Europe’s Water Resilience: Why Stability in EU Water Law Matters More Than Ever
Europe faces a critical moment in water policy. As the continent confronts increasing water scarcity, more frequent droughts and floods, and growing pollution pressures, maintaining a stable regulatory framework is more important than ever.
EurEau and other water sector associations have urged the European Commission not to include water-related legislative provisions in the forthcoming Environmental Omnibus package. In a joint letter, the sector warns that reopening core water legislation now would undermine Europe’s ability to manage current and future water challenges. Read more here.
Water and agriculture
Pesticides: Electronic data collection on pesticide use postponed
Member States decided at the Standing Committee on Plant Health (Scopaff) to postpone the entry into force of the electronic pesticide use data collection by one year.
EurEau regrets this decision, as access to up-to-date information on pesticide use around drinking water catchment areas is an essential element of the risk analysis of drinking water suppliers.
Instead of 2026, as determined in the SAIO Regulation, the provision will become applicable from 1 January 2027 onwards. The SAIO Regulation provides for the digital collection and, two years later, the use of data on pesticide use in the European Union.
Pesticides: Commission intends to weaken approval requirements
The latest draft of the Food and Feed Security ‘Omnibus’ proposes a substantial weakening of pesticide approval rules in terms of periodic reviews, the use of new scientific data and grace periods following a ban.
EurEau rejects these proposals, which would weaken the protection of drinking water resources and lead to substantial risks for drinking water suppliers if new scientific data suggest a pesticide metabolite should be considered as relevant for drinking water.
The EurEau letter to Commissioner Roswall is here.
Pesticides: EU Court rules against repeated extensions of pesticide approvals
The EU’s General Court ruled that the pesticide law only allows exceptional and temporary extensions of pesticide approvals tailored to the concrete progress of the risk assessment. That period must therefore last only for the time needed to complete the renewal procedure, neither more nor less.
The case was brought to the Court by several NGOs after the Commission re-extended the approval period of three pesticide active substances (boscalid, dimoxystrobin, glyphosate).
The Commission plans changes to the pesticide approval procedure which lead to time-unlimited approvals for most active substances. The renewal procedure after 10 or 15 years might therefore disappear (see above).
The Court’s press release and judgment.
Water and the environment
Taxonomy: Commission plans review of the TSC and DNSH criteria
The European Commission is preparing 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.
A stakeholder workshop was held on 17 November, with Luigi Del Giacco (co-Chair of the EurEau Task Force on Sustainable Financing and Reporting) and Gari Villa-Landa (EurEau Secretariat) participating on behalf of EurEau.
The Commission has launched two calls for evidence to gather feedback on the review of the SC and DNSH criteria for both the Climate Delegated Regulation and the Environmental Delegated Regulation (deadline: 5 December).
Circular Economy Act: feedback submitted
On 1 August, the Commission launched a call for evidence and a public consultation on the future Circular Economy Act. EurEau feedback can be found here.
PFAS: ECHA inches closer to final proposal on universal restriction
The ECHA Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) will hold another discussion on the universal PFAS (uPFAS) restriction during the first two weeks of December.
RAC is expected to adopt its final opinion in March 2026. SEAC will run a second 60-day public consultation in spring 2026, with its final opinion expected in Q4 2026.
Other news
2025 Water Atlas
The English edition of the Water Atlas, published by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, is published. It presents the complexity and urgency of global water issues in a visually compelling, accessible format. From the unequal distribution of water and industrial pollution to climate-linked water insecurity and geopolitical tensions, the Atlas aims to sharpen understanding and support action toward more sustainable and equitable water governance.
The report highlights that isolated solutions alone are not sufficient. Real improvements in water protection require both technical innovations and especially political regulation and social change. Fundamental changes in agriculture, industry, and sanitation systems are needed to achieve real improvements in water protection.
The report is here: Water Atlas 2025: Data and facts about the basis of life | Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Brussels office – European Union
New WSA guidance on climate resilient water services
The Water and Sanitation for All (WSA) partnership launched the Climate-resilient water and sanitation definition 2.0, a document that explains all resilience-related aspects and looks into responsibilities of water stakeholders. EurEau is a WSA partner organisation.
Events
4 December 2025, Brussels and online – WAREG (European Association of Water Regulators) is organising the 4th European Forum on the Regulation of Water Services, under the theme of Regulating for resilience: securing Europe’s water future in a changing world. You can access the programme and register here.
8 December 2025, Brussels and online – the Water Resilience Forum in the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee is open for registration.