Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure to be at the Regional Water Forum Danube - Eastern Europe 2025. The engagement in the water sector across Europe is inspiring.

As I travel through our Union, I am consistently impressed by the commitment of citizens and businesses to water issues. This forum exemplifies our ability to collaborate across borders to drive meaningful change.

Thank you for having me. I just attended an insightful meeting in the Romanian Parliament, discussing water and environmental matters. I highlighted the significance of clean water and a healthy environment for our collective resilience and competitiveness.

Flying to Bucharest last night, I admired the Danube River, a vital waterway and a symbol of our shared history and culture. Today, the Danube serves as a bridge connecting Eastern and Central Europe, showcasing what a river basin represents.

As the most international river basin globally, the Danube presents complexities and opportunities that highlight the need for regional cooperation and strategic water management.

Transboundary cooperation is fundamental to the European project and EU water policy, crucial for ensuring water resilience, peace, and prosperity.

This event is an ideal opportunity to present the European Water Resilience Strategy, adopted by the European Commission just two weeks ago.

Let me outline the current state of water resilience.

Earlier this year, the European Commission released three reports assessing the efforts of Member States to protect freshwater and marine waters and prepare for floods. The findings indicate that Europe is under water stress, with pollution and supply issues, and increasing risks of floods and droughts.

Surface waters are particularly concerning, with only a quarter in good chemical status. Meanwhile, groundwater, which many depend on for drinking, faces pollution and depletion risks.

Pollution, biodiversity loss, and unsustainable practices are the root causes of these challenges.

Industrial and urban discharges are contaminating our waters, and inadequate land planning fails to address growing flood risks.

Climate change exacerbates these issues, causing more frequent droughts and severe floods across Europe, including in Romania.

Recent floods have significantly impacted the Praid salt mine and triggered the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for recovery support from other Member States.

This is a clear call for action, and President von der Leyen prioritizes the development of the Water Resilience Strategy, which I presented on June 4th.

There is no quick fix for the water crisis, but the strategy serves as a roadmap toward actionable water resilience.

Water is a shared resource, and cooperation is essential, especially for the Danube, where a source-to-sea approach has proven effective in preserving the Danube Delta.

The strategy presents three goals: fix the broken water cycle, build a water-smart economy, and ensure clean, affordable water for all.

We propose over 30 flagship actions, focusing on key areas.

Firstly, enhancing water efficiency by 10% by 2030 is crucial, considering regional and local differences.

Secondly, we need to upgrade water infrastructure and increase investments, as significant amounts of water are lost before reaching users.

Thirdly, leveraging digitalization and innovation is vital. Europe leads in water technology, and we aim to expedite the transition from lab to market.

Fourthly, we must improve governance and implementation of existing EU water rules.

Lastly, access to clean water is essential, with pollution and contamination being major concerns.

We will establish a public-private partnership to support technological innovations for cleaning up pollutants.

In conclusion, water management requires collaboration at multiple levels, including with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River.

We face global water stress, and promoting cooperation is essential for peace.

We are on the path to a water-resilient Europe, equipped with the necessary rules and determination.

This forum is a bridge-building event. We must ensure access to clean and affordable water for all.

I look forward to your questions.

Thank you.