Europe

Europe occupies a pivotal place in our international network of valued knowledge partners. We look to our European partners more often, especially to acquire expertise and cooperate on the challenges we face at home.

Watering fields during drought season.

We see Europe as a community of countries for sharing expertise, with the EU as policymaker, which is why we are raising awareness of the European dimension among the regional water authorities.

EU as policymaker

European Union legislation has a big impact on the work of the regional water authorities as it has to be incorporated into the national regulatory framework. Dutch Water Authorities monitors, draws attention to and influences the development of EU directives, regulations and legislative revisions to ensure that they help the water authorities perform their core water management tasks. This is usually done through the European federations Dutch Water Authoritiesis affiliated to and through Dutch Water Authorities’s input to drafting position papers. These organisations include Eureau, EUWMA, SGi Europe and the European Water Association. Besides lobbying, Dutch Water Authorities actively seeks external funding opportunities through programmes such as INTERREG and Horizon.

Dyke inspectors are being trained.

Worker operation on a sewage treatment plant.

KNOWLEGDE

The Dutch regional water authorities live up to their joint responsibility for ensuring a sufficient supply of clean and safe water. But that responsibility does not stop at the border.

read more about the blue deal