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.

These claims come after the European Commissioner for Environment, Water, and Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, stated last week that the revision of the Water Framework Directive responds to the objective of facilitating the opening of mines in European territory to end dependence on China and the US. It also aims to accelerate projects considered strategic for the Commission, such as data centres.

The EWM links the environmental threat orchestrated by the EC with its rearmament plan and its apparent plan for competitiveness in the global race to lead technological industrial sectors such as Artificial Intelligence. “It should be remembered that the enormous water and energy consumption of AI is still unknown, which should prevent the EC from eliminating environmental assessment and impact procedures, especially in a region of the world affected by permanent water scarcity,” they denounce.

The potential revision of the WFD comes just a few years after the EC conducted an assessment of the directive, concluding that it is adequate to meet the common objectives of water and health protection.

Organisations from Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, and Serbia met and agreed to prioritise the protection of the Water Framework Directive for 2026. Among those attending were public operators, local administrations, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to safe drinking Water and Sanitation. To see the speech by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation, visit our LinkedIn page here.

Download the full press release here.

Ayuntamiento de Girona, Diputación de Barcelona, Ayuntamiento del Masnou, Ayuntamiento de Torelló, Ayuntamiento de Viladrau, Institut Català de Recerca en Aigua (ICRA), Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambiental (ICTA-UAB), Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), CAEB-CSIC, CT BETA UVic, LEQUIA - UdG, Wageningen University, Asociación Española de Operadores Públicos de Agua y Saneamiento (AEOPAS), Aqua Publica Europea (APE), Associació de Municipis per l’Aigua Pública (AMAP), Cicle de l’Aigua del Ter SA (CATSA), Consorci per a la Gestió Integral d’Aigües de Catalunya (CONGIAC), Consorci de Medi Ambient i Salut Pública SIGMA, Castelló d’Empúries 2000 SA, Gestió Urbanística i Serveis Arenys de Munt SA, Aigües Municipals de Xàbia (AMJASA), EYATH SA, Observatori de l’Aigua de Terrassa (OAT), Mesa Social del Agua, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Ingeniería Sin Fronteras (ISF), Aigua és Vida, Plataforma en Defensa de l’Ebre (PDE), Grup de Defensa del Ter (GDT), Càritas Girona, Naturalistes de Girona, Observatori del Deute en la Globalització, European Public Services Union (EPSU), The Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV), Red Agua Pública (RAP), Plataforma Contra la Privatización del Canal Isabel II, Foro Italiano dei Movimenti per l’Acqua, ENDA Colombia, Eau Secours 31, Coordination Eau Ile de France, Water Observatory Xabia, Water Observatory Terrassa, Water Observatory Girona, CEE Bankwatch Network y Polekol/Pravo na Vodu.