This digital action plan for the water sector, which is included in the Commission Work Programme for 2026, is one of the flagship initiatives under the European Water Resilience Strategy. It is foreseen for publication in Q4 2026.
The European Commission published a call for evidence to support the development of an EU-wide Action Plan on digitalisation in the water sector, including an initiative on smart metres for all, on 27 May. The objective of the call for evidence is to offer stakeholders an opportunity to provide input for the development of the action plan in a collaborative and inclusive manner.
The call therefore aims to collect in-depth evidence, information, data and feedback from stakeholders on the three strategic pillars of the plan, with a particular focus on the EU added value of any potential measures. Planned consultation activities include this call for evidence and targeted events to gather further stakeholder input. This call for evidence identifies key technologies and potential bottlenecks currently shaping the water sector, but the list is not yet exhaustive. The consultation process therefore aims to invite stakeholders to confirm these priorities, highlight any developments that may have been overlooked and provide concrete examples to ensure the action plan is truly fit for purpose.
· Objectives of the initiative :
EU water management requires a smart, digital system to improve real-time forecasting and reduce costs. This initiative accelerates digitalisation through 3 pillars: AI-driven big data, large-scale Internet-of-Things deployment and routine Earth observation. The initiative aims to provide reliable services, cut red tape and foster a competitive market. Improving cross-border cooperation and transparency can ensure better data for the public and smarter management of the EU's water resources.
Its goal is to help increase water efficiency, protect the water cycle and ensure that clean, affordable water remains available by improving water infrastructure and enhancing overall EU competitiveness.
The plan also supports the large-scale deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT), including smart sensors and metres, to enable more agile water management. Smart metres can reduce water use by up to 25%, with digital systems saving an additional 5–8% and leak detection reducing consumption by a further 7–14%.
The call seeks to gather evidence and best practices on how technologies such as artificial intelligence can improve efficiency and infrastructure resilience, as well as the challenges that must be faced when implementing them, including regulatory bottlenecks which prevent scaling-up solutions across EU countries.
· Format and recommendation
You can participate to the call for evidence by uploading feedback of up to 4000 characters. You can also attach a file to your contribution. The call for evidence is open until 24 June.
You can find the call for evidence here and the press release of the European Commission here.
Contributing to the call for evidence would ensure that EIA’s position is taken into account by the European Commission in the preparation of its Communication. It would also provide an opportunity to share concrete examples from the irrigation sector. We therefore recommend submitting a contribution to the call for evidence.
