Entries by Corinne Ronot

Civil society and water suppliers urge the European Commission not to weaken or remove fundamental water protection rules

On February 18, a group of associations representing the three pillars of the European Water Resilience Strategy published an open letter opposing the revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) announced by the European Commission for the second quarter of 2026. The signatories, including environmental NGOs and stakeholders in the water sector, warn of the […]

European laws that protect our environment are under threat. Sign the petition

Our nature and our health are under attack. European laws that guaranteed clean water, pure air and diverse ecosystems, including the Water Framework Directive, are being quietly dismantled under the pretext of ‘simplification’ and ‘reducing red tape’. More infos about the petition launched by the European NGO coalition #HandsOffNature, which requires our national and European […]

Europe’s last wild rivers in the Balkans are in decline

The Balkans, the last refuge for Europe’s wild rivers, are losing a little more of their natural heritage every year. A recent hydromorphological assessment reveals that nearly 2,500 km of pristine rivers in the Balkans have disappeared since 2012, causing the proportion of near-natural rivers to fall from 30% to 23%. Albania, which is leading […]

Webinar: Economic Instruments for Resilient River Basin Management

26 February 2026 | 10:00 am CET | in English Join three European research projects for a one-hour webinar on how water pricing and other economic instruments can help river basins become more resilient. Discover concrete examples from across Europe that illustrate how to integrate environmental externalities and support integrated and adapted water management in […]

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 25 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 💧🎉

For a quarter of a century, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has been the cornerstone of #EU water management. It protects rivers, lakes, groundwater, coastal waters and establishes the principle that clean water is a shared public good. 📝 To celebrate this milestone, Friedrich Barth, former team leader for the European Commission, takes us back […]

European Commission’s reckless move risks derailing water protections

PRESS RELEASE – Brussels, 4th December 2025. In a shocking turn for Europe’s environment, the European Commission has committed to reviewing and revising the Water Framework Directive by the second quarter of 2026 under the RESourceEU Action Plan, in order to promote “access to critical raw materials in the EU”. This is an extremely worrying […]

25,000 km of open waterways?

Registration is now open (in French only) 13 January from 4pm to 6pm: 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers for Europe – what is France doing? registration (in French only) The European Union has set itself an ambitious target: to restore at least 25,000 km of free-flowing watercourses by 2030. Under Article 9 of the Nature […]

Are there still rivers for migratory fish?

Registration is now open (in French only) 16 December from 4pm to 6pm: Axe Vienne Creuse Gartempe – Hydroelectricity or Refuge for Migratory Fish ? Registration (in French only) The Creuse has been identified as a key area for migratory fish in the context of climate change. Restoring watercourses and water quality, removing pressures, reconnecting […]