At its plenary session on Wednesday 4 March, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) unanimously adopted its opinion (https://aeur.eu/f/l1u ), presented by President Kata Tüttő and Juanma Moreno (EPP, President of the Junta de Andalucía), which welcomes the European strategy for water resilience (see EUROPE 13769/17).
In particular, the CoR is calling for a “restrictive and comprehensive” European proposal on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances), accompanied by investment in treatment technologies and alternative solutions, in order to guarantee public health and the protection of aquifers.
The CoR calls for a stronger role for local and regional authorities in implementing the strategy. It stresses respect for the principle of subsidiarity and the integration of resilience into town and country planning. The Committee stresses the urgent need to protect the water cycle, restore ecosystems and promote nature-based solutions. It reiterates the importance of the ‘polluter pays’ principle, so that those responsible for pollution, whether industrial or agricultural, bear the costs of prevention and treatment. The CoR also encourages the reduction of water demand. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)