User talk:DebLoz

Water Europe initiation, mission and vision

Water Europe is the recognized voice and promotor of water-related RTD and innovation in Europe. Water Europe strive to increase coordination and collaboration, to enhance the performance of the water service providers, water users, and technology providers, in a sustainable and inclusive way, and to contribute in solving water-related societal challenges.

Water Europe saw the light as WssTP, initiated by the European Commission European Commission in 2004 as the European Technology Platform (ETP) for water. In 2013, Water Europe was reconfirmed as one of the best-performing European Technology Platforms (ETPs) in line with the new ETP2020 strategy. In 2007, Water Europe was transformed into a member-based multi-stakeholder platform under Belgian law. Since then, the membership and activities of the organisation have continuously grown and evolved in line with its ambition to represent the whole value-chain of water and achieve a European Water-Smart Society.

Water Europe strives to:

• Improve coordination and collaboration on RTD and Innovation in the water sector;
• Enhance the performance and competitiveness of the EU water sector and beyond;
• Contribute to solving the EU’s water-related global challenges through research and innovation.

Water Europe’s vision is to make the European water sector a leading center of expertise for providing safe, clean and affordable water services while protecting nature by 2030.

‘By 2030 the European water sector will be regarded as the global leader in the provision of safe, clean and affordable water and sanitation.’

Water is by its nature a broad, diverse, and transversal issue that plays a role in very many sectors, research fields, and policy areas. This fragmentation in the water sector is explicitly identified by Water Europe as a hurdle to a common research and innovation strategy and this is why Water Europe is trying to effectively address it by bringing together the main actors of the water sector and increasing the European scientific and technological cooperation on water.

Water Europe members

Water Europe is a growing organisation which represents the whole value chain of water with a focus on RTD, innovation, and competitiveness. From 11 members in 2007, Water Europe is currently counting 211 members representing multinational corporations, universities and research institutes, utilities (public and private), the supply chain and SMEs, and large industrial and agricultural water users. Representatives from all these members come together in the numerous Water Europe activities and working groups. In this framework, Water Europe is the ‘spokesperson’ for all these organizations when it comes to liaison with the European Commission, the European Parliament and other European stakeholder organizations.