EP Water Group: “We will monitor water law implementation”

Member of Parliament Hildegard Bentele (EPP) is Chair of the Water Group of the European Parliament for 2024-2029. She is the successor of Pernille Weiss, who led the Water Group during the last term. The number of MEPs has grown significantly. Hildegard Bentele is sharing in an interview with Water News Europe what the Water Group is working on and what they want to achieve in this term.

The MEP Water Group has grown significantly compared to the last term. From four to sixteen parliamentarians is a big step. How do you organise yourselves?

“I am very happy to see that the number of colleagues who want to work on water-related issues in the Parliament has increased significantly. I believe this is due to the fact that the President of the Commission put ‘water’ high on the agenda for this term, even tasking a Commissioner with this topic in its title, and because more and more colleagues experience water-related problems in their constituencies regardless of their committee affiliations.

“The MEP Water Group is led by three Members of the European Parliament. I am the Chair and am supported by two Vice-Chairs, Stine Bosse from Renew and Tonino Picula from S&D. We, and our offices, are always in close contact to coordinate our work. Furthermore, Water Europe is supporting the group on organisational matters. We are picking up issues which need more profound inspection, we deliberate about initiatives in the Parliament and act as anchor for stakeholders. I consider the whole Water Group as one open team of engaged Members in which everybody can bring up topics.”

Do you meet often?

“We try to meet as often as we can – be it in an internal roundtable format or during larger events we organise together.”

It is remarkable that many MEPs in the Water Group are from Spain (4) and Germany (5). Do you know why?

“Germany and Spain are big Member States with a respectively large number of MEPs, but with Stine Bosse from Denmark and Tonino Picula from Croatia, we have active colleagues from smaller Member States as well and the participants in our events come from all geographical backgrounds. We do have Members from several European Member States, from Northern to Southern Europe. Europe is the fastest-warming continent and nearly all European Member States faced in the last year/still face enormous challenges when it comes to water – be it floods, droughts, shrinking groundwater resources or water quality issues. However, our Southern European countries are hit hard by climate change and the resulting extreme weather events for years. For that reason, they also developed solutions to address these challenges. I am grateful that they share their expertise with us.”

On your Member page it is not mentioned you are the chairman of the MEP Water Group. What is the reason for that?

“The MEP Water Group is not a formal European Parliament intergroup, but an unofficial grouping. Therefore, it does not appear on our Members’ profiles.”

In an interview with Water Europe you said you wanted to use the MEP Water Group as a soundboard for your work on the Water Framework Directive. Can you give us some concrete examples of things you are discussing with the MEPs in the Water Group?

“My aim for the MEP Water Group is that it is a soundboard for all water-related issues and dossiers. But not only for myself but for all the members. The different perspectives, information and experiences are very valuable and help us policymakers to make better policies and decisions. Furthermore, some of our members were responsible for water-related matters in their home country or their region and have a lot of expertise. We discuss not only legislative dossiers but also very specific issues such as water metering and water financing.”

What do you want to achieve with the MEP Water Group?

“I am aiming to ensure that water remains on the political European agenda and that the Water Resilience Strategy results in concrete measures and ideas. Furthermore, my primary goal is still to shift the perception that sustainability and economic growth are incompatible. We need to combine tackling water-related challenges with boosting European competitiveness and Europe’s standing in the global economy. We are a champion when it comes to smart technologies and efficient water systems – let’s capitalize on that.”

How are you involved in implementing the Water Resilience Strategy and the Ocean Strategy?

“The Water Resilience Strategy and the European Ocean Pact show that priorities are set correctly, and hard work is being done in Brussels to find solutions. The EU is a global leader in water technologies. The focus is now on their broad application and scaling up, and on turning innovation into business cases. The legal framework in the EU regarding water is extensive and is currently being revised, but implementation is proceeding slowly. Implementation lies within the responsibility of Member States. In the future the European Parliament will keep a closer eye on progress in this regard. Furthermore, we will continue advocating for digitalization, interoperable data, better information about water consumption, possibilities for saving water and efficiency as such, increased use of reclaimed water, and more transparency in pricing, because this is what helps our citizens to make informed choices and bring upon change. Additionally, we will engage in facilitating the exchange with and between stakeholders and ensure that regional specifics are respected.”

More information: MEP Water Group