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efficiency is definitely necessary, mobilising critical resources to deliver competitively priced tools and
solutions to the European water industry and to consumers.
Research and development activities in FP5 poured about 100 million into water technology areas. Water
technology related topics in FP6 were spread across a few priorities and were, initially, allocated a smaller
budget than in FP5. After the approval of the Environmental Technology Action Plan, more substantial
actions on water technologies were introduced in the FP6 work programme for the Global change and
ecosystems priority (6.3).
The problem of fragmentation and likely unavoidable duplication of research activities being undertaken
simultaneously via national, regional and local initiatives, and backed by public- and private-sector funding,
needs to be addressed. This could be done through a common vision and the setting up and adoption of a
strategic research agenda and action plan which give due attention to addressing the existing barriers to the
effective diffusion of new technologies.
Many international and European water associations and networks currently exist, but their specific driving
forces are diverse, varying from research to industrial interests. A shared platform, bringing together all the
key actors, will be an excellent opportunity to overcome such obstacles.
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that, if the trend of concentration and globalisation in this sector will continue, by 2015 less than 20 large
operators may control 50% of private participation in the world water market.
The European water industry is working in a competitive worldwide market, where the major drivers of
success are finance, technology, internationalisation and attention to user needs. However, to face future
challenges, additional effort and investment in research are required to foster international competitiveness.
Development of new and cost-effective technologies is vital in the water market, which is increasingly
considering and integrating environmental externalities and energy aspects.
At the global level, the objectives set in Johannesburg to halve by 2015 the number of people without
access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation have to be achieved. There is a growing awareness
that Johannesburgs water-related objectives are of fundamental importance for the success of poverty
reduction strategies. For this, the EU has launched the EU Water Initiative, and it has created a 1 billion EU
Water Facility for Africa and ACP countries.
The simple transfer of existing consolidated Western technologies would be too costly with respect to the
possibility of mobilising public and private financial resources, and would lead to unsustainable consumption
of water resources. Setting up partnerships should not only help broaden the financial support base, but
should lead through better access to knowledge to wider access to appropriate technologies and
technological services. The promotion of technological innovation and public awareness worldwide will help
remove barriers limiting the potential diffusion of new sustainable technologies.
EU research activities should aim to address both problems at home and problems faced by other regions of
the world, knowing that any research findings in the broad field of water can help reduce the cost and
improve the quality, safety and long-term sustainability of water resources. It could also cut the time needed
to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, thus freeing up financial resources for other objectives.
Only through a broad and co-operative public-private partnership can stakeholders assemble the critical
mass of willingness and resources to face one of the most critical challenges of the new Millennium.