EU Competitiveness Series: Democratic Water for All – Building a Water-Smart Economy

How Europe manages this scarce resource will define its competitiveness, resilience, and global relevance in the decades ahead.

On 12 November in Brussels, A Seat At The Table brings together the European Commission, business leaders, and policymakers for the next edition of the EU Competitiveness Series: “Democratic Water for All – Building a Water-Smart Economy.”

This high-level dialogue will explore how water resilience can evolve from a climate necessity into a strategic driver of competitiveness, innovation, and inclusion across Europe’s industries.

Confirmed Speakers

We are honored to be joined by our distinguished speakers:

💧 H.E. Jessika Roswall – EU Commissioner for Water Resilience
💧 MEP André Franqueira Rodrigues (S&D, Portugal)
💧 MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral (EPP, Portugal)

💧 Vanessa Biebel – Sustainability & Circular Economy Manager, VBO – Verbond van Belgische Ondernemingen
💧 Pär Dalhielm – President, EurEau
💧 Jan Goossens – CEO, Aquafin NV
💧 Durk Krol– Executive Director of Water Europe
💧 Tania Pentcheva – Director Europe Government and Industry Relations, Xylem
💧 Bart Vandewaetere – VP ESG Engagement & Public Affairs Europe, Nestlé

Along with moderation by Sara Bellucci, EU Public Affairs Consultant at UTOPIA – Policy, Advocacy & Communication and Eleonora Rinaldi, Energy & Climate Correspondent at MLex.

About This Event

We are proud to host this event in close collaboration with our partners Aquafin NV, Nestlé, and Xylem — three organisations shaping the future of sustainable water management and circular innovation in Europe.

This is not another conference. It’s where Europe’s water-smart future begins — through dialogue, co-creation, and collective ambition.