Vewin

As Dutch Water Authorities, we welcome the upcoming Circular Economy Act. The Dutch Water Authorities share a long history of managing the Dutch regional water system, starting in the 13th century. Today, there are 21 water authorities with their own democratic administration, elections and taxation system. We treat around 2 billion m3 wastewater annually.

Position Paper Unie van Waterschappen Ref. Ares(2025)11430721 - 19/12/2025 Herziening Europese aanbestedingsrichtlijnen December 2025 Impact met publieke middelen Europese aanbestedingsregels: Van een drempel naar een duwtje in de rug De waterschappen zijn professionele, publieke opdrachtgevers met een grote maatschappelijke opgave.

Opening of the attached position paper · the full paper is on the Commission’s record (source link above)

Vewin, the Association of Dutch Drinking Water Companies, represents the collective interests of the public water utilities responsible for delivering safe and reliable drinking water across the Netherlands. As stewards of an essential public service, Dutch drinking water companies operate within a framework that prioritizes public health, sustainability, and long-term resilience.

As water authorities, we spend approximately 4.5 billion annually on our infrastructure projects and services and activities for the management and maintenance of the maintenance of our assets in the Netherlands. As professional procurers, we want to use taxpayers' money effectively and efficiently.

The Association of Dutch Water Authorities represents the interests of the 21 regional Dutch Water Authorities, who are by law responsible for managing water barriers, waterways, water levels, water quality and all urban waste water treatment in their respective regions. They strongly support the ambition of the European Commission to work towards a climate neutral Europe.

Vewin, the Association of Dutch Drinking Water Companies, represents the collective interests of the public water utilities sector responsible for delivering safe and reliable drinking water across the Netherlands. Vewin welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the new Cybersecurity Act 2 that will repeal the former Cybersecurity Act Regulation (EU) 2019/811.

Vewin, the Association of Dutch Drinking Water Companies, represents the collective interests of the public water utilities sector responsible for delivering safe and reliable drinking water across the Netherlands. Vewin welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the simplification of the NIS2-Directive.

Vewin, the association of water companies in the Netherlands strongly supports the introduction of new hazard classes in the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) proposal for a regulation 2022/0432. These new classes are an essential step in a connected effort of improved and modernized European regulations to protect sources of drinking water by restricting the use and emissions of hazardous chemical…

Since the new European Commission (EC) took office in December 2024, the European Union (EU) has placed greater emphasis on competitiveness, reducing administrative burdens, and simplifying legislation. This also applies to water and environmental policy. In December 2025, the EC presented a simplification package in the environmental domain, the so-called Environmental Omnibus.

The Union of Water Boards understands the challenges facing the European Commission in terms of competitiveness, strengthening the internal market and achieving environmental objectives in a more efficient, cheaper and smarter way. Simplification of legislation can be part of the solution. However, this should not lead to relaxation or deregulation.

Filed in Dutch · English published by the European Commission

The Zero Pollution Action Plan under the EU Green Deal rightfully focuses on the prevention of pollution first, based on the precautionary principle; principles enshrined in the TFEU. The prevention of pollution at the source has to include accelerated, concrete action under the REACH Regulation to prevent harmful substances from negatively impacting surface and ground water quality, including drinking water…

The Netherlands is located in the river delta of the Meuse, Rhine, Scheldt, and Ems rivers. This means we are literally and figuratively connected with our neighboring countries in the shared responsibility of ensuring sufficient and clean water. After all, water does not respect borders, and the climate is changing. We are already experiencing its effects.

PREVENTING DIVERSION OF IMPACTS BY CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION Because of the international river basins, European countries are literally and figuratively connected to each other. Within river basins, problems in the European water system can be passed on to downstream areas or future generations. At the moment, there are still too few binding agreements in river basins to meet the challenges of the future.

Overall appreciation: The Dutch drinking water sector sees the revision as a good step towards a desired better integration of various European directives such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), and the Drinking Water Directive (DWR). Micro-pollutants enter sewer systems and, after partial treatment at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), discharge to surface water.

The Dutch Water Authorities support a modernization of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). Coherence with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is essential. The WFD must continue to be the leading instrument for setting water quality objectives.

The Union of Water Boards represents 21 water boards working in the Netherlands on strong dykes and clean and sufficient water. This includes strengthening dykes and providing space for rivers, purifying sewage and steering water levels RENURE is a new type of manure in addition to livestock manure and chemical fertilisers.

Filed in Dutch · English published by the European Commission

De Unie van Waterschappen spreekt haar steun uit voor dit initiatief, onderschrijft de meerwaarde ervan en benadrukt graag dat in de Nederlandse context al relevante praktijkervaring is opgedaan die wij actief willen delen en inzetten om constructief bij te dragen aan de verdere uitwerking en implementatie van dit voorstel.

1. Nuance Effectiveness: Digitalisation can help with better demand forecasting, early detection of leakages, smarter maintenance, energy efficiency, better monitoring of sources and faster detection of drought, salinisation or pollution.

Filed in Dutch · English published by the European Commission

Reaction to revised list of surfacewater pollutants, The new Directive is closely linked to the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and should contribute to the ambitions of the European Green Deal: The link with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is essential. The WFD should remain the leading instrument in which water quality targets are set. 1. EQS contributes to improving chemical status of water quality.

VEWIN (Association of Dutch drinking water companies) Background and the import of protecting drinking water sources Medicine residues, pesticides and substances derived from industrial digeons (including PFAS) are a major risk to drinking water supply sources. Drinking water companies monitor how these substances are at their drinking water sources and include high monitoring and treatment costs.

Filed in Dutch · English published by the European Commission

Reaction to roadmap by the Association of Dutch Water Authorities and the Association of Dutch Water Companies (Vewin) Drinking water and waste water services have an essential mission: ensure the supply of high quality drinking water and effectively treat waste water, thus contributing to protecting human health and the environment.

Vewin, the Association of Dutch water companies, represents the collective interests of the public water utilities responsible for delivering safe and reliable drinking water across the Netherlands. Vewin welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the call for evidence to simplify the Defence and sensitive security procurement Directive.

The Association of Dutch water companies (Vewin) has read the questions from the European Commission regarding Directive 2014/32/EU regarding the Measuring Instruments Directive carefully. Vewin would like to react to this call for evidence, because the measuring instruments used by the Dutch drinking water companies would legally fall under the scope of this Directive.