Cofunded by the European Union

On April 29th, 2026, the Water4All Policy Support Working Group hosted the mentioned webinar. The event served as a vital platform for stakeholders to discuss the barriers hindering the full implementation of EU water legislation and, more importantly, to showcase concrete strategies to bridge these gaps.

In a condensed 1.5-hour session, the core insights from the latest report on this theme were presented. Link to the full report here.

The discussion focused on three primary challenges: 

  1. stakeholder engagement, 
  2. cross-sector collaboration, and 
  3. PFAS considerations.

 Five speakers shared their views and solutions

  • Nils Ferrand (INRAE, France) explored potential solutions to the governance gap regarding stakeholder engagement, referring to several practical examples, tools, and projects.
  • Wouter van de Bund (Joint Research Centre), from a European perspective, reflected on the role of participation in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the challenge to have stakeholders involved, whereas the European Union is shifting from the Green Deal thinking to geopolitical priorities, strategic autonomy and the European Water Resilience Strategy.
  • Philippe Le Coent (BRGM), a Water4All partner, provided a critical assessment of the proposed solutions and offered suggestions for further improving tools and approaches for citizen and stakeholder engagement.
  • Kirsi-Marja Lonkila (Finnish Ministry of the Environment) introduced the Policy Support Working Group’s new "science sparring" activity. In this initiative, policymakers from Northern and Southern EU countries define specific challenges in implementing the EWRS and receive scientifically sound feedback from a panel of selected researchers. 
  • Finally, Bertrand Vallet (DG RTD, European Commission) confirmed that the selected topics—stakeholders’ engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and PFAS—remain central challenges within the new EWRS objectives. He noted that ongoing EU-level activities, such as structured dialogues, the WFD revision, and EWRS actions on PFAS and dry-cooling, are all deeply interlinked with these themes.

The webinar successfully highlighted that bridging the gap between scientific research and policy implementation is essential for Europe's future. 

By fostering direct dialogue between researchers and decision-makers, Water4All continues to pave the way for a more water-resilient Europe.

For further information, the presentations of this webinar are available on request by writing to water4allcommunication[at]anr.fr

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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.