EVENT HIGHLIGHT | Advancing water resilience in the EU

BRUSSELS – A Seat At The Table hosted its high-level event “Building a Water-Smart Economy” on 12 November, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and innovators for a cross-sector dialogue on Europe’s water-smart future. The Watcher Post EU joined as media partner, with Brandy Miller guiding the discussion as Master of Ceremony. 

As part of the organisation’s EU Competitiveness Series, the programme featured a distinguished lineup including Pernille Weiss-Ehler, Member of Commissioner Roswall’s Cabinet, MEPs André Franqueira Rodrigues, alongside senior representatives from Aquafin, Water Europe, Nestlé, Xylem, and the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium.

Across two panels – moderated by Eleonora Rinaldi and Sara Bellucci – discussions explored water’s central role in a green, digital economy and its potential as a driver of jobs and innovation. 

The EU Water Resilience Strategy was described as a promising starting point but lacking momentum. Speakers pointed to deep investment shortfalls and entrenched legal and sector-specific barriers that continue to stall progress, especially for emerging technologies. The debate then shifted to what it would take to operationalise resilience across sectors — from industry to agriculture — where funding constraints, rigid standards, and uneven implementation still pose major obstacles.

While speakers welcomed initiatives like regulatory sandboxes, they emphasized the need for new coordinated actions and business models, and a wider engagement of the younger generations. The shared priority: ensuring water remains affordable, accessible, and reliable for all Europeans.

Pernille Weiss-Ehler, speaking for the Commission, underlined the major social and economic impacts of water scarcity and contamination. She outlined the strategy’s three pillars — digitalization, clean water reuse, and collaboration. 

The message emerging from the room was clear. Europe’s competitiveness in the decade ahead will hinge on how quickly and coherently it can adapt its water systems,  and whether it can turn resilience into opportunity.