The OECD and the Directorate-General for Environment, the European Commission department responsible for EU policy on the environment, joined forces to examine current and future water-related financing challenges faced by EU member states. These include investments needed to comply with EU regulation for water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and flood protection.

The OECD and the Directorate-General for Environment, the European Commission department responsible for EU policy on the environment, joined forces to examine current and future water-related financing challenges faced by EU member states. These include investments needed to comply with EU regulation for water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and flood protection. As part of the research, new data was produced on current levels of expenditure for water supply, sanitation and flood protection, as well as on projected needs. It supported a comparison across member states and substantiated tailored policy discussions in selected countries and at European level. This report captures the rationale for the research, the main quantitative outcomes and the policy issues and recommendations that derived from this two-year co-operation. Lessons from Europe outlined in this report can inspire similar research and policy discussions in other parts of the world.

The OECD and the Directorate-General for Environment, the European Commission department responsible for EU policy on the environment, joined forces to examine current and future water-related financing challenges faced by EU member states. These include investments needed to comply with EU regulation for water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and flood protection. As part of the research, new data was produced on current levels of expenditure for water supply, sanitation and flood protection, as well as on projected needs. It supported a comparison across member states and substantiated tailored policy discussions in selected countries and at European level. This report captures the rationale for the research, the main quantitative outcomes and the policy issues and recommendations that derived from this two-year co-operation. Lessons from Europe outlined in this report can inspire similar research and policy discussions in other parts of the world.

The EIB has been the largest source of loan financing to the global water sector to date as compared with other international financing institutions. In the five-year period 2008 to 2012, EIB direct lending to water-related projects, including irrigation and sewerage, amounted to some EUR 17bn of which 89% was for schemes in the Member States of the European Union. A total of 136 major water supply, sanitation and flood protection projects were financed during this period. -- EU Bookshop.

The EIB has been the largest source of loan financing to the global water sector to date as compared with other international financing institutions. In the five-year period 2008 to 2012, EIB direct lending to water-related projects, including irrigation and sewerage, amounted to some EUR 17bn of which 89% was for schemes in the Member States of the European Union. A total of 136 major water supply, sanitation and flood protection projects were financed during this period.

This report provides a framework for policy discussions around financing water resources management that are taking place at local, basin, national, or transboundary levels.