News 17 July 2012

Three Dutch experts in high level EU innovation group on water

Cees Veerman (Chairman of the Association of Dutch Drinking Water Companies, also on behalf of the Association of Dutch Regional Water Management Authorities), Wim van Vierssen (Executive director KWR Watercycle Research Institute) and Harry van Dorenmalen (Chairman IBM Europe) have become members of the Steering Group of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Water.

Members of the Steering Group have been invited in their personal capacity by Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Environment, who will chair the Steering Group.

The members have been invited based on their expertise and knowledge in their particular field, and their expressed commitment to be involved in the EIP on Water and making the initiative a success.

Reflecting all stakeholders
The composition of the EIP Steering Group reflects the range of perspectives of the relevant stakeholder groups involved in the area of water and innovation.

It brings together experts from public and private bodies and from disciplines that play a role in water and innovation, such as utilities, water using industries, research, technology, ngo's, the financial sector, ICT and different levels of government (municipal, regional, national). In addition, the Steering Group seeks to provide a geographical balance across the EU Member States.

Primary roles
The primary roles of the Steering Group are to:


  • give strategic guidance to the EIP on Water and identify the main themes and challenges for water related innovation.

  • agree on the short and long term deliverables.

  • appoint a Task Force, which will draft the Strategic Implementation Plan outlining the priorities, work method and governance of the EIP on Water.

  • adopt the Strategic Implementation Plan by the end of this year.


For an overview of the members of the Steering Group click here.

Task Force
The members of the Steering Group have been invited to propose one candidate each to participate in the EIP on Water Task Force. In addition to those candidates proposed by the Steering Group members, 15 additional candidates will be selected by Steering Group.

The selection of the additional 15 candidates will be based on a particular relevant expertise with regard to water and innovation. The composition of the Task Force will be made public as soon as possible after the meeting of the Steering Group. The Task Force is expected to have its first meeting on September 25th.

Read more on the European Innovation Partnership on Water on the website of the European Commision/Environment.

More information
European Commission
Environment Directorate-General
Brussels, Belgium
ec.europa.eu/environment