APPLiA's feedback to the European Water Resilience Strategy

APPLiA, representing the home appliance industry, welcomes the European Commission's initiative to develop a European Water Resilience Strategy. We strongly support the strategy's focus on ensuring proper resource management, addressing water scarcity, enhancing the competitiveness of the water industry, and promoting a water-wise circular economy. This paper focuses specifically on the "Water Efficiency First" principle and how modern home appliances can contribute significantly to its implementation. 

Recommendations for the European Commission

To maximise the impact of the "Water Efficiency First" principle and ensure equitable access to water-saving technologies, APPLiA recommends the following actions:

Targeted Financial Incentives: Implement financial incentives and support schemes specifically for appliances in the highest energy and water efficiency classes. These could include rebates, tax breaks, or subsidized financing options. These incentives should be designed to directly address the affordability gap.

EU-wide Coordination and Best Practice Sharing: Conduct a thorough screening of existing measures across Member States and facilitate coordinated action between the European Commission and Member States to ensure effective implementation and avoid duplication of efforts. This should include sharing best practices and identifying successful models that can be scaled up across the EU.

Dedicated EU Funding: Allocate dedicated EU funding to support research and development of even more water-efficient appliance technologies and to finance consumer incentive programs.

Consumer Engagement and Education: Implement communication campaigns to raise consumer awareness about the benefits of water-efficient appliances and encourage sustainable water usage behaviors. This should include clear and accessible information on water consumption labels and potential savings.

Incentivise Sustainable Choices: Explore mechanisms to reward consumers for their investments in water-efficient appliances and encourage water-saving behaviours. This could include water pricing structures that incentivise conservation or other innovative reward programs.

Conclusion

By prioritising the "Water Efficiency First" principle and implementing the recommendations outlined above, the European Commission can unlock the significant potential of modern home appliances to contribute to a water-resilient and sustainable Europe. APPLiA is committed to working with the Commission and other stakeholders to achieve this shared goal.