Nicosia, Cyprus. EU water resilience commissioner Jessika Roswall said there has been long-term underspending on water security and urged member states to use EU funds more efficiently for water management and reducing leakages.
Water resilience and funding priorities
Speaking on Friday at a press conference held as part of Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the EU, Roswall said water resilience and the circular economy are “absolute priorities” and that “investing in water is investing in our economic security”.
She said “the cost of doing nothing is too high” and urged member states to make full use of EU cohesion funds, which she said have been made more flexible to invest in water resilience. Roswall added that a new €15 billion fund from the European Investment Bank is available for financing water resilience projects.
She said it is also important to boost private finance and push for innovative solutions in the water sector.
Water leakages and EU-funded projects
Responding to a question on water leakages, Roswall said the issue affects many EU member states, with some suffering more than 50 per cent losses. She said EU-funded projects could help address the problem.
Cyprus Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said Cyprus is conducting a study to monitor water loss due to leaks with EU support.
Cyprus discussions and circular economy
Panayiotou, who chaired the informal council’s sessions, said discussions focused on “how to turn shared ambition into concrete action”.
She said the discussion helped prepare the ground for future work toward an integrated framework for climate resilience and set the scene for adequate financing.
Panayiotou also referred to the Circular Economy Act, saying it reflects “a strategic shift” as “a competitiveness, security and resilience agenda”. She said that by creating a true single market for secondary raw materials, reducing dependence on imports and strengthening Europe’s industrial base, Europe is investing in long-term resilience.
What measures do you think should be prioritised to reduce water losses from leakages in EU member states?
