evidence: Water restrictions and, to a lesser extent, water rationing, is frequently used in situations of temporary water scarcity, e.g. during droughts. They allow local or even regional and national administrations to cope with water crises, by reducing consumption. Whenever those temporary low-cost measures are not complemented by any behavioural change towards more conscious water use by people, water demand and use are expected to rise again and return to previous levels once restrictions are removed. [...] The Water Framework Directive (WFD) can orient competent administrations towards water saving in general. Art 9 (water pricing) of the WFD can be implemented in combination with water restrictions. Drought Management plans, which can also be subject to the WFD Program of Measures normally include restrictions and methods for rationing in the case of drought events. The practice to restrict water use in times of water scarcity or drought is included in many Member States' water allocation policies and in some Member States, restrictions are determined according to a hierarchy of water users. Abstraction rules are sometimes more stringent in areas suffering from chronic water shortage. A new EU regulation on minimum requirements for water reuse for agricultural irrigation has been released in 2020 (regulation (EU) 2020/741). Reused water is a relevant resource during times of water scarcity.