EP approves MEP Bajada’s Water Resilience Strategy

Labour MEP Thomas Bajada’s Water Resilience Strategy has been approved through an absolute majority by the European Parliament.

This is Bajada’s first major report, placing strong emphasis on the need to safeguard and manage clean, safe water—an increasingly scarce but essential resource for all Europeans.

In his speech, Bajada underlined that water is the foundation of life not only for people but also for the economy and the environment.

He stressed citizens across Europe are facing challenges that are no longer theoretical but lived experiences: droughts that destroy livelihoods, floods that devastate communities, and crises that until recently seemed confined to certain regions but now affect everyone.

“The approved strategy puts people at the heart of its vision. It recognises that water can no longer be treated as an infinite resource and sets a clear direction to prioritise the security of clean water supplies, public health, and the sustainability of food production. Crucially, it also calls for European solidarity to support those regions that have too often been left to cope alone with water crises,” Bajada said in a statement.

Bajada spearheaded negotiations with the EPP ahead of the plenary vote to secure a more ambitious stance on PFAS pollution—a group of toxic "forever chemicals" that persist in the environment and threaten public health.

The final text strengthens parliament’s call for a complete phase-out of PFAS across all non-essential uses, going beyond the version adopted in committee.

“I welcome the good results of my efforts—where public health won over party politics,” Bajada stated.

Bajada reminded Parliament that Mediterranean countries, including Malta, have long lived with water scarcity and have had to innovate to make every drop count. Now, this experience is being shared at the European level to protect all communities.

“Water is life, and it is our duty to protect it together. This strategy is not just an investment in infrastructure but a direct investment in our people, their health, and their future,” Bajada stated. “The time to act is not tomorrow—it is now.”