Ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to present the state of water in the EU. Water is crucial for life, agriculture, and industry. However, challenges like droughts, floods, and desertification are reshaping our world. In Spain, 74% faces desertification, and 78% of Europeans feel environmental changes daily. Globally, 800 million lack safe water access, highlighting the global nature of this issue.
Water is vital for humans, farmers, and businesses. 75% of euro area corporate loans are tied to ecosystem services, many related to water. We must change our perception of water as an infinite resource and focus on water circularity and efficiency.
Water is under stress from mismanagement, pollution, and climate change, yet it is key for security and competitiveness. We are preparing a Water Resilience Strategy for spring, supported by todays reports. These reports, though technical, will inform our Strategy and dialogue with Member States.
Today, we present three reports: the Water Framework Directive, Floods Directive, and Marine Strategy Framework Directive, offering insights into fresh water, marine management, and flood preparedness. The findings are clear: pollution, threatened water supply, and insufficient flood risk reduction are critical issues. Less than 40% of EU surface waters have good ecological status, and only a quarter have good chemical status.
Pollution remains a challenge, especially from agriculture and urban wastewater, despite a 30% reduction in plastic waste on beaches. More investment in flood risk management is needed as floods become more frequent and severe. Implementation of EU water legislation is lagging, and structured dialogues with EU countries are essential for progress.
Funding is a major obstacle, with 86% of River Basin Management Plans citing shortfalls. We need to focus on this in the Water Resilience Strategy. Methodological differences among Member States mean findings are not always comparable, and each must be considered in context.
The way forward includes Commission recommendations to support Member States, encouraging water efficiency, reuse, and circularity. We will engage stakeholders and launch a call for evidence on water, integrating insights into the EU Water Resilience Strategy. The Strategy aims to fix the broken water cycle from land to sea with an integrated approach.
Water intersects many policy areas, and I will work closely with Commission colleagues on competitiveness, agriculture, fisheries, crisis prevention, and climate adaptation. The call for action is clear: over 75% of EU citizens want action on water. We must protect water supply, reduce flood risks, and ensure clean water for citizens, farmers, and businesses. The cost of inaction is too high, and we must work together for a water-resilient Europe by 2050.
Thank you.