Cofunded by the European Union

Water4All at the 22nd Euro-INBO Conference in Parma: Bridging Research and Policy for Better Water Management.

Water4All took part in the 22nd International Conference of Euro-INBO (International Network of Basin Organizations), held in Parma, Italy, from May 19 to 22, 2025. Hosted by the Po River District Basin Authority (ADBPO) and the Municipality of Parma, in collaboration with the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB), the event brought together representatives from EU Member States and beyond, water authorities, basin organizations, and key stakeholders working on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and related policies.

Water4All Workshop "Addressing EU Water Directives Governance Gaps"

A highlight of the conference was the Water4All workshop on May 20, titled: “Addressing EU Water Directives Governance Gaps: Solutions for Stakeholders’ Engagement”. The Policy Support Working Group of Water4All focuses on identifying research and innovation needs to support the implementation of key European water directives (the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and the Drinking Water Directive).

During the session, Benjamin Lopez (Water4All’s CEO) introduced the Water4All Partnership, emphasizing the importance of its integrated initiatives in improving the uptake of research results by end users. Kor Van Hoof (VMM) presented the work done by the Policy Support Group of Water4All and the main objectives of the session’s discussion: formulating solutions to implementation gaps. Maria Chiara Sole (ISPRA) provided a detailed overview of the alignment strategic and systemic approach developed by ISPRA and UNIVPM (Polytechnic University of Marche) to coordinating and integrating regional, national, and international research and innovation (R&I) agendas, underlining its critical role in maximizing the impact of EU-funds through better coordination across various scales, technology readiness levels, and stakeholder communities.

Euro-INBO Conference Parma Workshop

The Parma workshop centred on addressing persistent gaps in stakeholder engagement, challenges widely recognized by Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) and other cooperation programs assessed within Water4All. Two case studies on stakeholder engagement were presented, both included in the Water4All Atlas of Water-Oriented Living Labs (pdf link)

  • The Canale Reale River Contract (Puglia Region, Southern Italy),
  • The Val d’Orcia Living Lab (AG-WaMED Project; Tuscany Region, Central Italy).

These initiatives shared real-world successes and challenges in engaging local stakeholders in water management, offering valuable insights and practical lessons.

An interactive session allowed participants to contribute their perspectives on effective stakeholder involvement. Suggestions included :

  • increasing youth engagement in water governance,
  • fostering peer-learning exchanges,
  • promoting a stronger sense of territorial belonging.

These insights will help shape the forthcoming guidelines on solutions and implementation strategies, which aim to support more inclusive and effective policy execution (following the gap analysis report published in July 2024).

Looking ahead, Water4All will continue to host stakeholder workshops and webinars to refine tools and support broader adoption of best practices. Our goal remains clear: bridging science, policy, and society to build a more resilient and secure water future.

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The Water4All Partnership - Water Security for the Planet - is a funding programme for scientific research in freshwater. It aims to tackle water challenges to face climate change, help to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and boost the EU’s competitiveness and growth.

It is co-funded by the European Union within the frame of the Horizon Europe programme (a key funding programme for research and innovation). The Partnership duration is for seven years from 2022.

The Water4All objective is to enable water security at a large scale and in the long term. Its goal is also to tackle water issues in a holistic frame. 

All forms of life on earth need water. All human activities operate with this resource. Water is part of our everyday life. It is also integrated within urban and countryside landscapes. It is one of the most valuable elements we share with plants and animals.

These simple facts must be kept in mind to understand the Water4All ambition.

This resource is weakened in many places due to climate changes, and human habits. We know that we can improve the way we use water. Everyone has a role to play and especially the scientific research community.

Scientific research is the heart of the Partnership as It is a powerful tool to improve knowledge on preserving, restoring, and managing this essential resource. 

International cooperation is also needed as water has no borders on Earth and runs from one country to another.

Water4All brings together a broad and cohesive group of 90 partners from 33 countries in the European Union and beyond. This consortium gathers partners from the whole water Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) chain.