The European Water Resilience Strategy

Amendments tabled for the plenary sitting on this text, in their own numbering series. This is a different set from the committee amendments tracked elsewhere on AmendEU, and is not counted in any of the site’s amendment totals.

1. Amendment 1Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 49
   Current text

   49. Recalls that the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, in effect since 1 January 2025, imposes new obligations regarding water purification, requiring pharmaceutical and cosmetic producers to cover at least 80 % of the costs of removing micropollutants from wastewater, with the aim of reducing harmful substances in the environment;

   Amendment

   49. Recalls that the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, in effect since 1 January 2025, imposes new obligations regarding water purification, requiring pharmaceutical and cosmetic producers to cover at least 80 % of the costs of removing micropollutants from wastewater, with the aim of reducing harmful substances in the environment; notes the existence of differing figures and assessments regarding the impact this would have on the pharmaceutical sector and, consequently, on the availability and affordability of medicines, and therefore calls on the Commission to conduct a new and comprehensive assessment of the impact on this sector;

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2. Amendment 2Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 10 a (new)
   Amendment

   10a. Stresses that no one, whether in public places or private establishments, should be denied access to water supplied from a distribution network intended for human consumption, where available;

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3. Amendment 3Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 41
   Current text

   41. Calls for the establishment of a comprehensive EU-wide quality standard for PFAS totals in groundwater and surface water; stresses that respective updates of the relevant directives are essential for safeguarding water quality and achieving good chemical status for water bodies as mandated under the WFD;

   Amendment

   41. Calls for the establishment of comprehensive EU-wide quality standards for PFAS in groundwater and surface water; stresses that respective updates of the relevant directives are essential for safeguarding water quality and achieving good chemical status for water bodies as mandated under the WFD;

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4. Amendment 4Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 42
   Current text

   42. Insists that essential uses of PFAS, for example for medical devices, pharmaceuticals and products necessary for the transition to climate neutrality, are not endangered; calls on the Commission to propose to phase out forever chemicals (PFAS) in consumer goods with proven concerns for human health and the environment, and only where there are safe alternatives;

   Amendment

   42. Insists that essential uses of PFAS in critical sectors, such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals and products necessary for the twin transition to a climate neutral and digital economy, are not endangered in the context of upcoming legislative and non-legislative proposals; calls on the Commission to propose to phase out forever chemicals (PFAS) – starting with consumer goods – linked to harmful effects on human health and the environment, based on scientific evidence, allowing their use where there are no safe alternatives; underlines the need to scale up investments and accelerate the research and development of equivalent and safe alternatives;

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5. Amendment 5Motion for a resolution · Recital R a (new)
   Amendment

   Ra. whereas agriculture is an essential sector in protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems; whereas farmers play a fundamental role in sustainable water management by maintaining agricultural landscapes, preserving groundwater and actively helping to combat erosion and desertification; whereas farmers need to be supported in the transition to more resilient and water-efficient practices;

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6. Amendment 6Motion for a resolution · Recital AL a (new)
   Amendment

   ALa. whereas building dams and dykes and cleaning riverbeds are critical interventions in flood risk mitigation;

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7. Amendment 7Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 14
   Current text

   14. Calls for a legislative framework setting sectoral water efficiency and water abstraction targets at basin level, based on up-to-date assessments of water availability and climate risks, including a water valuation approach that accounts for ecosystem services and long-term sustainability, and covering all water uses, including industry, energy, agriculture, public institutions and households; underlines the fact that these targets should be ambitious yet adaptable, taking into account the specific circumstances and progress already achieved by each Member State to ensure continued efforts towards efficiency gains across all regions; stresses the importance of efficient and uniform data…

   Amendment

   14. Calls for a legislative framework setting sectoral water efficiency and water abstraction targets at basin level, based on up-to-date assessments of water availability and climate risks, including a water valuation approach that accounts for ecosystem services and long-term sustainability, and covering all water uses, including industry, energy, agriculture, public institutions and households; calls for further red tape and excessive regulatory burdens to be avoided; underlines the fact that these targets should be ambitious yet adaptable, taking into account the specific circumstances and progress already achieved by each Member State to ensure continued efforts towards efficiency gains…

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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8. Amendment 8Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 21
   Current text

   21. Calls for the transition to a more sustainable and competitive farming model, assisted by the implementation of sustainable practices and innovative solutions that promote biodiversity, reduce chemical inputs and enable water resources to be managed efficiently, including nature-based solutions, regenerative management, smart precision irrigation technologies, digital monitoring systems, advanced treatment methods and smart water distribution networks, optimising consumption and preventing water resource depletion, and that help ensure continued productivity while enabling agriculture to reduce pollution, use pesticides and fertilisers efficiently, improve the hydrological cycle, enhance…

   Amendment

   21. Calls for the transition to a more sustainable and competitive farming model, assisted by the implementation of sustainable practices and innovative solutions that promote biodiversity, reduce chemical inputs and enable water resources to be managed efficiently, including nature-based solutions, regenerative management, smart precision irrigation technologies, digital monitoring systems, advanced treatment methods and smart water distribution networks, optimising consumption and preventing water resource depletion, and that help ensure continued productivity while enabling agriculture to reduce pollution, use pesticides and fertilisers efficiently, improve the hydrological cycle, enhance…

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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9. Amendment 9Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 25 a (new)
   Amendment

   25a. Underlines that the role of farmers in Europe as the main environmental protectors and guarantors of food sovereignty must be respected, and calls for the elimination of all restrictions on access to water resources that prevent them from carrying out their activities properly; deplores the fact that farmers are often accused of being the main cause of water management problems, whereas, in reality, they are the ones most affected by droughts and other extreme weather events; stresses that farmers should be considered not as consumers but as users of water that is displaced within the hydrological cycle; calls for a balanced approach, based on consultation between agricultural stakehold…

   Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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10. Amendment 10Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 27 a (new)
    Amendment

    27a. Calls for an increase in water availability in water-stressed areas for all sectors at the local and regional level, ensuring that water basins are interconnected where possible and minimum river flows are respected;

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11. Amendment 11Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 55 a (new)
    Amendment

    55a. Requests specific exemptions from the WFD and its ‘daughter’ directives (the Groundwater Directive and the Environmental Quality Standards Directive), as well as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the EU Nature Restoration Law1a, in order to allow, among other things, the construction of infrastructure, including that necessary to prevent floods, or the development of large housing projects to address the current housing crisis; stresses that the construction of this infrastructure would have prevented the disaster that occurred in Valencia in October 2024; _______________________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on natu…

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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12. Amendment 12Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 55 b (new)
    Amendment

    55b. Is concerned about the fact that the outermost regions of the European Union face specific challenges in terms of water management, particularly due to the scarcity of water resources, the dilapidation of infrastructure and increased vulnerability to the effects of extreme weather events; urges the Commission and the Member States concerned to prioritise the funding of specific programmes for the renovation of the water infrastructure of the outermost regions, the creation of suitable water reserves, including desalination units, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the collection and storage of rainwater to guarantee equitable access to water;

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13. Amendment 13Motion for a resolution · Paragraph 62 a (new)
    Amendment

    62a. Emphasises that controlling the flow of water and water storage for irrigation are the basis of all human activity as they play an essential role in ensuring access to water for people, meeting agricultural needs, and supporting electricity production; underlines that delays to and blocking of water irrigation and retention projects pose serious threats to food security and are detrimental to the general interest;

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14. Amendment 14AGRIMotion for a resolution · Recital R a (new)
    Amendment

    Ra. whereas global population growth requires increased food production, and the EU must guarantee food sovereignty, as laid down in Article 39 TFEU;

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15. Amendment 15AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 12
    Current text

    12. Urges the Commission to integrate and mainstream the water dimension into internal and external EU policies through a cross-sectoral approach in order to ensure that water resilience, sustainability and security is woven into the fabric of European policies; calls on the Commission, in particular, to carry out a water-related assessment of any regulatory measure, including related to energy, as part of the socio-economic and environmental impact assessment; emphasises that assessing how each EU policy, and EU-funded projects and infrastructure, can impact water resources in terms of quantity, quality and accessibility would ensure that water resilience is a cornerstone of policy formulat…

    Amendment

    12. Urges the Commission to fully integrate the strategic management of water into all EU policies, in order to ensure safe and sustainable access to this resource; emphasises that assessing the impact of European policies on water resources must include not only environmental considerations but also economic and social ones in order to ensure agricultural and food sovereignty, agricultural competitiveness and the economic resilience of territories; insists on the importance of recognising water as a precious resource that must be managed in a balanced way, reconciling protection, storage and use optimisation to respond to the vital needs of citizens, undertakings and farmers;

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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16. Amendment 16AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 12 a (new)
    Amendment

    12a. Stresses the need to put in place a clear legal framework to prevent projects that have been authorised from being systematically challenged, creating legal uncertainty for farmers and the regions;

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17. Amendment 17AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 14
    Current text

    14. Calls for a legislative framework setting sectoral water efficiency and water abstraction targets at basin level, based on up-to-date assessments of water availability and climate risks, including a water valuation approach that accounts for ecosystem services and long-term sustainability, and covering all water uses, including industry, energy, agriculture, public institutions and households; underlines the fact that these targets should be ambitious yet adaptable, taking into account the specific circumstances and progress already achieved by each Member State to ensure continued efforts towards efficiency gains across all regions; stresses the importance of efficient and uniform data…

    Amendment

    14. Calls for a legislative framework setting sectoral water efficiency and water abstraction targets at basin level, based on up-to-date assessments of water availability and climate risks, including a water valuation approach that accounts for ecosystem services and long-term sustainability, and covering all water uses, including industry, energy, agriculture, public institutions and households; underlines the fact that these targets should be ambitious yet adaptable, taking into account the specific circumstances and progress already achieved by each Member State to ensure continued efforts towards efficiency gains across all regions; stresses the importance of efficient and uniform data…

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
    official amendment document ↗
18. Amendment 18AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 23
    Current text

    23. Recommends better consideration of the nutrient cycle in agricultural production and the exploitation of the value in urban wastewater; calls for more research into the effective use of nutrients and the development of nutrient recovery technologies, in order to decrease the Union’s dependence on imported raw materials; recognises the high potential for nutrient recovery from water and calls on the Member States to support the agricultural sector to optimise their nutrient consumption including by using resources (nitrate and phosphorus) recovered from wastewater treatment plants; calls on the Commission to propose an integrated nutrient management action plan to effectively address loss…

    Amendment

    23. Recalls that the use of nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate is essential for food production, as this activity would not be possible without their use; Recommends better consideration of the nutrient cycle in agricultural production and the exploitation of the value in urban wastewater; calls for more research into the effective use of nutrients and the development of nutrient recovery technologies, in order to decrease the Union’s dependence on imported raw materials; recognises the high potential for nutrient recovery from water and calls on the Member States to support the agricultural sector to optimise their nutrient consumption including by using resources (nitrate and phosphor…

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
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19. Amendment 19AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 23 a (new)
    Amendment

    23a. Stresses that the current Nitrates Directive is due for revision, as outdated provisions promote the use of artificial fertilisers rather than organic manure; calls for an urgent review of the Nitrates Directive before the end of this year, and its revision to promote circular nutrient management;

    official amendment document ↗
20. Amendment 20AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 25 a (new)
    Amendment

    25a. Acknowledges the significant efforts made by farmers to enhance water quality and emphasises the need for an appropriate timeframe to allow the effects of these measures to be accurately assessed;

    official amendment document ↗
21. Amendment 21AGRIMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 68
    Current text

    68. Calls on the Member States to create natural water reserves based on up-to-date assessments of climate risks to protect critical water supplies and their catchments, and taking into consideration the environmental and socio-economic impact of developing such reserves; points out that such natural water reserves would complement the WFD’s requirement for Member States to identify water bodies used for drinking water abstraction, making sure they meet the objectives set out in Article 4 WFD and in the Drinking Water Directive, and would ensure their necessary protection; notes that such natural water reserves already exist under different forms in various Member States; stresses that assis…

    Amendment

    68. Insists that the agricultural sector be further supported in implementing new technologies to reduce the demand for water, while at the same time increasing access to water, including by supporting water retention and groundwater recharge; calls for research results, for example on seawater desalination, to be made accessible and to facilitate the deployment of innovative desalination solutions; calls on the Member States to create natural water reserves based on up-to-date assessments of climate risks to protect critical water supplies and their catchments, and taking into consideration the environmental and socio-economic impact of developing such reserves; points out that such natural…

    Excerpt — full text in the official PDF.
    official amendment document ↗