Introduction to the Research Handbook on EU Water Law

Cathy Suykens and Marleen van Rijswick

Chapter 1 in Research Handbook on EU Water Law, 2026, pp 2-9 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This introductory chapter situates EU water law within the current environmental, economic, and geopolitical context and presents the structure of the Research Handbook on EU Water Law. With the 2027 deadline of the Water Framework Directive approaching and many European water bodies still failing to achieve good status, the chapter highlights the growing urgency of effective and integrated water governance. It outlines the key challenges facing EU water management, including water scarcity, flooding, pollution, climate change, and competing policy priorities. Against this backdrop, the chapter introduces the themes and contributions of the Research Handbook. It explains how the book examines EU water law from multiple perspectives: its relationship with EU environmental law and international water law; rights, conflicts, and participatory dimensions of water governance; the substantive regulatory framework governing water quality, use, pressures, and risks; the interaction between water and other sectors such as agriculture, nature, land use, and energy; and future-oriented approaches to strengthening sustainable and resilient water governance in Europe.

Keywords: Water law; Sustainable water governance; Water Framework Directive; Water nexuses; Flood risk management and water scarcity; Water quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035336425
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