New MFF: EU funding and water

Webinar report: EU funding opportunities for water resilience in local governments

How can towns, cities and regions secure the investments needed to strengthen water resilience in the face of climate change, ageing infrastructure and growing regulatory requirements?

On 13 May 2026, CEMR and Aqua Publica Europea (APE) hosted a webinar bringing together representatives from the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), local and regional governments, and public water operators to discuss EU funding opportunities for water resilience.

The discussions highlighted both the opportunities available under the current EU budget and the challenges that local and regional governments may face under the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The key messages and recommendations from the event are now available in a new webinar report jointly published by CEMR and APE.

Water resilience starts locally

Opening the webinar, Andrea Carli, CEMR spokesperson for Environment and Regional Councillor of Friuli Venezia Giulia, highlighted the growing pressures facing towns, cities and regions across Europe. From droughts and water scarcity to flooding, local and regional governments are increasingly at the forefront of climate adaptation while also facing rising investment needs.

For CEMR, this reinforces the need for strong governance frameworks, technical support and sufficient financial resources to ensure sustainable and affordable water services for all communities.

Financing remains the key challenge

A central message emerging from the discussions is clear: financing remains the main barrier to achieving Europe’s water policy objectives.

APE and CEMR highlight the significant investment gap identified by the European Commission, while also pointing to governance and capacity challenges that can limit access to available funding. Although water resilience has been recognised as a priority area in the mid-term review of cohesion policy, many local and regional governments and water operators continue to struggle to secure the resources needed for critical investments.

Looking ahead to the next MFF

With negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) underway, the webinar explored how the proposed future funding architecture could affect water investments.

While the new National and Regional Partnership Plans (NRPP) may offer greater flexibility, they also raise important questions about the involvement of local and regional governments in setting investment priorities. CEMR continues to advocate for a strong cohesion policy and meaningful participation of towns, cities and regions in shaping and implementing the future EU budget.

New opportunities through the EIB

During the webinar, participants also heard about EIB’s growing role in supporting water investments, including the forthcoming Sustainable Water Advisory Facility. The initiative aims to help local and regional governments and water operators access financing and advisory support more easily, strengthening the preparation and delivery of water projects across Europe.

As discussions on the future EU budget continue, achieving Europe’s water resilience objectives will require long-term investment, strong local governance and a central role for towns, cities and regions.

Read the webinar report to discover the main conclusions from the discussion, the latest funding opportunities, policy developments and recommendations for local and regional governments.

Read the article on APE´s website here: APE and CEMR host webinar on EU funding opportunities for Water Resilience | Aqua Publica Europea

Check the presentations used during the event: