EU Blue Deal

The EESC started its work on the Blue Deal in January 2023, and the official launch event Time for an EU Blue Deal was held in February 2023. In September 2023, the initiative gained political momentum with a joint call by the EESC and the European Parliament, expressed in a co-signed letter to EU Heads of State and Government, calling on the Member States to support and adopt an ambitious EU Blue Deal. Furthermore, in early September, EESC President Oliver Röpke wrote to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, calling on her to place water as a high priority on the agenda of the European Commission. This was followed by the inclusion of a new Water Resilience Initiative in the Commission’s priorities for 2024.

In October 2023, the EESC presented its Call for an EU Blue Deal, a comprehensive set of recommendations for a sustainable water policy for Europe as a strategic priority. The work is based on a set of opinions covering the social, economic, environmental and geopolitical aspects of water as well as water challenges concerning agriculture, industries, infrastructures and sustainable consumption.

The EESC President’s Declaration for an EU Blue Deal contains 15 principles that should guide future EU initiatives and a set of 21 concrete actions that the EESC proposes to be implemented as a matter of urgency. Our aim is to have the EU Blue Deal adopted as a standalone strategic priority for the new European Commission. This call has attracted a lot of attention from policy makers and support from a wide range of stakeholders, including youth, industry, environmental organisations to name a few. We have seen a lot of requests from organised civil society to organise follow-up activities on this thematic.

European Citizens’ initiative (ECI) for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe

On 25 September 2024, the European Commission registered a new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe. The ECI calls for a strategic and holistic action plan for water in Europe, and the development and implementation of dual, complementary policies in all EU policy areas. The ECI refers to the call for an EU Blue Deal and lists the EESC’s Declaration in its annex.

The ECI will soon be launched for signatures from citizens across the EU.

If the initiative receives at least one million statements of support within one year with minimum numbers reached in at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react. The Commission will have to decide whether or not it will take action in response to the request, and will be required to explain its reasoning. More information on the process is available here.

Recent and upcoming EU Blue Deal events organised by the EESC

• The EU Blue Deal Initiative and the example of rivers: sustainable water management, organised by CCMI and European Parliament Intergroup on ‘Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’ (22 January 2024)
• A Blue Deal through citizenship and stewardship, organised by CCMI and Volonteurope – Civil Society Week (6 March 2024)
• Building a Water Smart Society through Blue Diplomacy, organised by CCMI and REX in partnership with BICA, Water Europe, Veolia – Sofia, Bulgaria (16 April 2024)
• The Blue Deal: water as a source of energy, debate at TEN Section meeting co-organised with CCMI – Brussels (16 May 2024)
• BlueDeal: How to build a Water-Smart Economy for a water-resilient Europe?, CCMI and Water Europe - Brussels (10 June 2024), EU Green Week partner event
• Towards a comprehensive water strategy in the context of the climate and biodiversity emergencies, CCMI and SDO/NAT event - Brussels (2 July 2024), EU Green Week partner event

The Blue Deal has also attracted a lot of interest in the media: In 2023, the EU Blue Deal secured close to 100 publications in media outlets across the EU, including major newspapers (such as Politico, EurActiv and national press), magazines, and television networks (Euronews).

In mid-February 2024, it was announced that the European Commission’s Water Resilience Initiative is cancelled without a date. A joint letter signed by the EESC and representatives of the European Parliament and the European Committee of the Regions was sent to EC Vice-President Šefčovič, reiterating the three institutions’ call for an ambitious EU Blue Deal and urging the EC to publish the Water Resilience Initiative as soon as possible, since the water crisis is already impacting citizens, farmers, industries, our natural environment and society as a whole.

The EESC stands by its position: Europe needs an EU Blue Deal. Considering the vital nature of water and the importance of the challenges ahead, water cannot be limited to a purely environmental policy within the Green Deal, but must be adopted as an independent strategic priority, complementary to the decarbonisation strategy and integrated into all EU policies. It is time to act now.

An EU-wide consultation on Europe’s water future was launched by the European Commission in the context of the EU Green Week, dedicated to water this year. The EESC is working in close cooperation with the Commission on this campaign, continuing to put forward its key messages on the EU Blue Deal as a comprehensive and strategic approach to water, highlighting the need for political ambition to solve the water crisis.

The EESC will continue to engage with the EU institutions and key stakeholders to push for the Blue Deal as a new priority for the EU in the next years to come. The Committee is also in an active dialogue with the Member States and with the wider civil society organising follow-activities and events, with the participation of EESC members and delegates.