The European Commission and Germany signed a joint statement in Berlin on 5 October setting out steps to strengthen water resilience in Germany.
Jessika Roswall, the Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, signed the document alongside Germany’s Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, the Commission informed.
The statement links Germany’s plans to its National Water Strategy and includes actions to restore and protect the water cycle, support a “water-smart economy”, and maintain access to water and sanitation.
Germany was described as the first EU country to conclude a “structured dialogue” process that the Commission began in November 2025 and plans to extend to all member states, according to the same update.
Pollution controls and water treatment upgrades
Measures set out in the joint statement include tackling water pollution by reducing legacy mining pollution and supporting a shift to sustainable agriculture, the Commission said.
Germany also committed to boosting natural water retention, keeping water abstraction — the removal of water from rivers, lakes or groundwater for use — at sustainable levels, improving water efficiency and strengthening control of water resources.
Work with Germany’s federal states will be accelerated to prepare for future water scarcity and drought.
The text also says Germany will continue implementing EU water laws and, where needed, upgrade water treatment plants with an extra stage to remove additional pollutants, including pharmaceutical residues, pesticides, PFAS and other “micropollutants” — very small quantities of substances not effectively filtered out by many existing facilities.
Further steps include restoring aquatic ecosystems and identifying risks to water quality in drinking-water catchment areas, alongside stronger preventive measures to reduce those risks.
The Commission said it would support Germany through actions under the European Water Resilience Strategy, including research and innovation, digitalisation, skills measures, and help in facilitating public and private investment in “green-blue infrastructure” such as wetlands and other nature-based systems that manage water.
