European Water Movement | Defending Water as a Commons

Social organisations call for the Water Framework Directive to be maintained following the European Commission's announcement of its review

The European Water Movement (EWM) warns of the negative consequences of the revision of the Water Framework Directive announced by the European Commission on December 10 at the Environmental Omnibus Package press conference.

December 10, 2025

Last weekend, from December 5 to 7, Girona hosted the EWM's Annual Meeting. One of the objectives was to analyse the proposals to deregulate European Union rules on water management, both in terms of derogations and financing.

“Without this common legal framework, any guarantee of the good ecological and chemical status of water bodies of the Europe Union disappears,” warn EWM members. The Water Framework Directive is the vital pillar of all European water policy, which is why they are calling on MEPs to defend the Directive and its current standards.

The EWM denounces the European Commission's drift, “giving in to mining and industrial lobbies with individual interests that threaten the right to a healthy environment and the public health of all European citizens.” The organisations point out that the European Commission has repeatedly stated its support for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, following the nearly 2 million citizens who supported the first European Citizens' Initiative (ICE Right2Water) calling for the recognition of the right to water.

EWM Final Declaration - Girona Annual Meeting 2025

Girona, 8 December 2025

The EWM Annual Meeting 2025 came at a particularly critical moment, marked by deregulation processes promoted by the European Commission, growing pressure on water resources, and increasing frequency of prolonged droughts and floods. This context coincides with a key preparatory year for the third UN World Water Conference (December 2026), where Member States will need to define their positions and commitments.

This scenario is further complicated by the rise of far-right political forces across Europe, which drives deregulation and threatens fundamental rights such as universal access to water, recognized by the UN General Assembly and enshrined in the Drinking Water Directive.

In this context, the Girona meeting offered a platform for analyzing the impacts of European policies on water management and for developing strategies to defend water as a common and a fundamental human right. The event featured international, European, and national experts, providing critical and rigorous insights into current water-related challenges.

During the Girona meeting, held from 5 to 7 December, the European Water Movement (EWM), raised serious concerns regarding the negative consequences of the revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) announced by the European Commission on 10 December 2025, arguing it’s an obstacle for projects’ permitting such as mining projects. One of the main objectives of the meeting was to analyse the proposed deregulation of EU water-related legislation, both in terms of legislative amendment and financing mechanisms.

Water Resilience Strategy, Contribution to the Call for Evidence

March 2025

Contribution by the European Water Movement to the Calls for Evidence

Water Resilience Strategy
Water Efficiency First Principle

The European Water Movement (EWM) is an open, inclusive, and pluralistic network whose goal is to reinforce the recognition of water as a common good and a fundamental universal right. We are united in our fight against the privatization and commodification of this vital resource and in our commitment to constructing a public and communal management system for water, founded on the democratic participation of citizens and workers. The EWM was one of the promoters of the 2012/13 European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Right2Water” on the Human Right to Water.

The last EEA report on Europe’s State of Water 2024 has highlighted frightening figures on both water quality and quantity in surface waters and groundwaters, where some of the main drivers have been clearly identified.

Although we recognize various positive elements in the Water Resilience Strategy initiated by the European Commission, we believe that some critical issues remain unaddressed. These shortcomings compromise the strategy’s effectiveness, democratic and participatory nature, and, equally important, the preservation of water resources.

More than 100 European academics warn against a European Parliament proposal that could hinder the public services management

18 June 2025

The European Water Movement launches an appeal to defend the right of municipalities to opt for direct management of services such as water, transport and cleaning.

Over 100 professors, academics, researchers and experts in Public procurement, business and public management are calling to the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) negotiating the European Parliament report on the proposal for the revision of the public procurement Directive that is being currently discussed, not to introduce more administrative burden on local and regional governments and to promote more insourcing and inhouse provision when municipalities see fit.

More than 100 professors and academics from over 18 countries and over 50 different universities and institutes are calling the legislators to ensure that inhouse provision is uphold by the current parliament. Some MEPs with a far-right background have been promoting a dangerous element of what is usually called ‘competitive compulsive tendering’ echoing old proposals by the British Thatcherite right.

The European Water Movement in the Face of the European Economic and Social Committee's Blue Deal Initiative

Photo credits: EESC

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), a consultative body of the European Union (EU), is promoting an initiative to develop a global approach to European water policies. This proposal aims to materialize in a Declaration to be delivered to the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union at the high-level conference "Call for an EU Blue Deal" in October 2023, during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The EESC's objective is for water to be one of the next EU Commission's top priorities.

Taking into account the relevance of this initiative, the European Water Movement specifies below its position in this regard, identifying the main challenges and its proposals for action related to water in the EU, all to influence the process of development and implementation of the Blue Deal.

The European Water Movement (EWM) warns of the negative consequences of the revision of the Water Framework Directive announced by the European Commission on December 10 at the Environmental Omnibus Package press conference.

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