By Martha Moss - 25th August 2009
Regional leaders have called on the EU to do more to tackle the water crisis facing Europe.
Michèle Sabban, the president of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), said on Tuesday that Brussels needed to set a clear budget for taking on the 'blue challenge'.
She told TheParliament.com that water issues needed to be higher up the European agenda, saying, "At the moment the EU is lacking in will and strength.
"We really need more will and more strength to confront the problem and try to do something."
Sabban was speaking as regional representatives gathered in Valencia for an AER event which brings together local and regional politicians, EU policymakers and young people to discuss the water challenge.
She said she hoped delegates would come up with "a lot of proposals that can be implemented in the different regions".
"I would like to have an official declaration that can be implemented in the different regions," she said.
Regions have a central role in developing water policy and raising awareness because "at a regional level we are the unit that is closest to the citizens", she added.
"I would really like the kindergarten to start with this water culture from the very beginning. We think that the regions could bring a resolution or provision that could be implemented at the regional level for all citizens."
Through inter-regional cooperation "we'll be able to implement the decisions that will be made for the future for our regions", she said.
She added, "The politicians will have some decisions to make and a budget to consider so it's really important to have regional cooperation. I also intend to bring this declaration to the president of the EU commission, I will meet with him to try and bring the message to an EU level."
Sabban spoke of a forum she is setting up about the Black Sea, which will include participants from Russia, Romania and Turkey.
"It's very important that we talk about water with those regions," she said. "The Black Sea can really play a very important role in the water crisis.
"It is a really strategic place. All these countries are not talking to each other so we´re using the topic of water to bring them around the table to make sure there is a true dialogue - through water we may solve a series of issues."
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