The European Commission convened a high-level roundtable on water and circular economy on 18 June, gathering stakeholders from across industry, utilities, research, civil society and EU institutions to push forward the vision of a water-smart, resource-efficient Europe.
The event, chaired by Commissioner Jessika Roswall, took place at a pivotal moment for two converging policy processes: the EU Water Resilience Strategy and the upcoming Circular Economy Act, whose legislative proposal is expected in the third quarter of 2026. The Act aims to establish a single market for secondary raw materials and double the EU's circular material use rate from around 12% today to 24% by 2030. While water is not a dedicated focus of the legislation, the roundtable positioned it as an essential thread running through both agendas.
The transition to a circular economy cannot be achieved without water, and water resilience cannot be secured without circularity
Participants spanned water policy platforms, public operators, academic bodies, industrial and energy sectors, environmental NGOs, agri-food representatives, and water reuse innovators, among others. Discussions centred on water's multiple roles within a circular economy: as a scarce and strategically vital resource, as a carrier of recoverable materials including nutrients and energy, and as a key enabling input for industrial and energy systems. A particular focus fell on identifying the barriers that still prevent circular water solutions from scaling up.
Commissioner Roswall set the tone: "Building a water-smart economy is essential for Europe's resilience, competitiveness and strategic security. Water is not only a vital resource in its own right; it is also central to our industrial systems, energy transition and circular economy ambitions. By bringing together leaders from across sectors, we can identify practical solutions that help Europe use water more efficiently, recover valuable resources, and strengthen long-term water security."
The outcomes are expected to feed into both the European Water Resilience Strategy and the design of the Circular Economy Act, reinforcing a growing institutional consensus: the transition to a circular economy cannot be achieved without water, and water resilience cannot be secured without circularity.
