Brussels, 9 April 2026 — The Association of European Water Regulators (WAREG) held its 37th General Assembly online on 8 and 9 April 2026. The Assembly provided an opportunity to review key institutional matters, discuss ongoing technical work, and exchange views on major regulatory developments affecting the water sector in Europe.
The General Assembly opened with the consideration of institutional items, and the discussion of the request for Observer Status submitted by Vlaamse Nutsregulator. Members approved the request for Observer Status submitted by the VNR, thereby welcoming a new Observer in WAREG. Members also received an update on recent EU developments and on the work related to water scarcity, reflecting WAREG’s continued engagement with relevant European policy discussions.
A substantial part of the first day was dedicated to the work of the WAREG Tariffs Working Group, co-chaired by the regulators of Kosovo and North Macedonia, with the support of the WAREG Secretariat. The Working Group presented progress on the update of WAREG’s 2019 work on tariffs, based on a new questionnaire circulated in June 2025, to which 20 regulatory authorities replied. The presentation outlined the diversity of tariff methodologies and practices across WAREG members and confirmed the objective of updating the WAREG Report on Tariffs by September 2026.
The Assembly also discussed the policy brief presented by LIS-Water, which addressed possible ways to improve water service tariffs from an economic, social and environmental perspective. The discussion highlighted key regulatory questions including cost recovery, fairness between users, affordability mechanisms, tariff structures, and the importance of aligning pricing approaches with efficiency and sustainability objectives.
On the second day, Members focused on the presentation of the WAREG Drinking Water Directive Working Group Report, prepared by the co-chairs from Greece and Latvia with the support of the Secretariat and WAREG Members. Based on replies from 21 regulatory authorities, the report provides a comparative overview of the implementation of Directive (EU) 2020/2184 across WAREG jurisdictions. It highlights progress in transposition and implementation, while also identifying common challenges linked to the risk-based approach, materials in contact with drinking water, consumer information, access to water, leakage management and monitoring systems.
The discussions at the General Assembly confirmed the important role of regulators in supporting the implementation of European water legislation, both directly and indirectly, through tariff regulation, monitoring, coordination and the exchange of regulatory practices. They also reaffirmed WAREG’s added value as a platform for cooperation, comparative analysis and mutual learning among European water regulators.
Dedicated tour de tables on both the Tariffs Working Group and the Drinking Water Directive Working Group allowed Members to share their views on future priorities and on the topics that should be further developed within WAREG’s technical work.
The Assembly concluded with an update on WAREG’s finances and budget and on developments concerning the Secretariat’s personnel.
About WAREG
WAREG, the Association of European Water Regulators, brings together regulatory authorities responsible for water and wastewater services across Europe. It serves as a platform for cooperation, exchange of experience and the promotion of sound regulatory principles in the water sector.