FIEC Newsletter – 20 Μαΐου 2025

Following a special soiree and festive dinner with all participants at the Museum of the Acropolis, on 16 May, FIEC held its Annual Conference and General Assembly in Athens, hosted by its Greek member, PEDMEDE. The speakers addressed water challenges and risk mitigation, under the motto “Building Tomorrow: Solutions for Water Resilience and Blue Infrastructure”: Yet another opportunity for the construction industry to voice proposals of specific measures and actions and share best practices at EU level. A common goal, involving businesses, institutions and technical skills from all over Europe.

Water scarcity, heavy rainfall and flooding, as well as water quality concerns, have become serious problems in many EU Member States. Extreme weather events and hazardous substances are posing immense challenges to the built environment and resulting in major damages and high insurance costs. Moreover, the situation is set to get worse, with huge impacts on citizens and our economies. Since 2000, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the main piece of water legislation in Europe and has been complemented by several other laws. While these policies have primarily focused on water quality and pollutants, the overall legislative framework is failing to adequately address water (quantity) management, droughts and other extreme weather events. The approach to these challenges currently lack a comprehensive strategy and vision to protect our societies and companies from physical damage and economic losses.

In his opening remarks, FIEC President Piero Petrucco highlighted that “With 6.5 billion cubic meters of water lost every year in the EU due to poorly maintained pipes, and with extreme weather events becoming more frequent, we face a urgent need to address water challenges. Any decision by EU legislators will require the active involvement of our sector in defining an efficient and supportive framework, and we are committed to playing our part. Let’s build the change together!”Together with our guests, the invited speakers and the participants FIEC presented and discussed a series of key aspects and areas including financing investment on innovation and transformation.

During the plenary session, and following a welcome address by PEDMEDE President, Kostantinos Gkoliopoulos, the conference staged speeches by the Greek Government authority representatives, who joined on site, Christos Dimas, Greek Minister of Infrastructure and Transport and Pavlos Marinakis, Deputy Minister to the PM of the Hellenic Republic and Government Spokesman

We had the pleasure to count on the ‘remote’ contribution of Jessica Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a competitive Circular Economy. “Using water more efficiently is a strategy for the environment, the economic strength and industrial competitiveness. I sincerely thank FIEC for its valuable contribution to our call-for-evidence […] that has identified the most urgent needs. Europe is investing in water through cohesion policy funds, national recovery plans and Horizon 2020, among others. The construction sector is essential to delivering solutions, and the EU can only achieve results with its partnership.” – said Commissioner Roswall, while also reiterating the importance of the mission and achievements of our Construction Industry Federation: a key contribution to the EU legislator to help shaping policies and driving decisions to the benefit of all.

Keynote interventions included the contribution of Paul Rübig, Former Member of the European Parliament (EPP/AT) and “Blue Deal” Expert at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Francesco Rutelli, Former Mayor of Rome, former Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Sustainability & Water Resilience Advocate. Insights into water supply in Greece were shared by Harry Sachinis, CEO of EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company), while Sophie Cahen, Director of Environmental Affairs at our French member, Fédération Nationale des Travaux Publics (FNTP), joined us on a video-presentation of the InfraClimat project.

EU Water Resilience Strategy: A collective effort

It was widely discussed how the upcoming EU Water Resilience Strategy (WRS) must help to unify the framework of water legislation and provide the means to accelerate the modernisation of the water distribution system in Europe. It must develop a specific response, also addressing streamlining existing legislation and its implementation, the availability of comprehensive water-related data, as well as financing mechanisms. Views were exchanged about the future by presenting specific case studies and projects.“Altogether, we must build a coherent EU construction strategy for the future. Please do not leave Athens just with business cards, but leave Greece with a blue footprint for the future.” – stated Pavlos Marinakis during his speech.

“An ambitious strategy for water requires an equally ambitious financial framework. The EU must adopt water as a strategic priority in its next long-term budget. For this reason, a Blue Transition Fund should be established as a single access point for EU water investments, combining public investment with innovative financing”, explained Paul Rübig.

After the 2024 European Elections, water has been defined as a strategic priority, and FIEC supports this development. The EU institutions, namely the European Parliament and the European Commission, with Jessika Roswall as new Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a competitive Circular Economy, are getting traction in drafting a European Water Resilience Strategy. The strategy is expected to be presented in June 2025.
To achieve the goal of developing a sustainable future, the strategy must recognise the crucial role of contractors in building new water infrastructure and maintaining and repairing existing infrastructure for treatment, distribution, storage, and flood protection.

3 Workshops to propose Solutions

In this workshop, FIEC members developed indications for a strategy to address leakages in Europe’s ageing water grid. Leakages in sewer systems are contributing to (groundwater) pollution, as wastewater is leaking untreated before reaching facilities meant to ensure that no harmful substances are exposed to the environment. Insufficient maintenance is largely driven by pricing policies that do not reflect the full economic value of the resource and its distribution.
To secure a joint effort to achieve the effective and rapid maintenance and renewal of existing water distribution networks, the European construction industry calls for a better monitoring of the grid, using new technologies like smart metering, and to make information available in a digital form. In-depth knowledge about the grid is key to assessing priorities for maintenance efforts and water-related construction projects. A dedicated EU Water Fund must be part of the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) to co-finance the monitoring and digitalisation of the grid, with the aim of making smart meters and sensors the standard. Reaching a good balance of the water price to account for treatment and distribution may support this task.Some positive remarks

Our special thanks go to our Vice-President for Communication & Enlargement, Laurentiu Plosceanu, brilliant Moderator of the Conference. And to our FIEC Policy Officer, Benedikt Fischer, for the excellent ‘regia’ and whole programme coordination.
On behalf of all its members, FIEC deeply thank all participants and speakers, particularly the Greek Professors who brought their expertise into our work tables, but mostly PEDMEDE, host of the event, its President Kostantinos Gkoliopoulus and Director-General Eleni Papagianni & Staff Team, who organised all steps and moments to the detail, and welcomed all of us in the warmest way.

PRESS RELEASE