Luxembourg, 21/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - The rise in the world population, urbanisation, pollution, over-exploitation, desertification and climate change - all these factors weigh increasingly heavily on water resources, the ever-increasing scarcity of which is a matter of concern for the EU27 environment ministers. The latter believe a real sustainable and integrated water management policy is needed within the EU in order to perfect progress achieved so far through a well-furnished legislative arsenal (in particular, the framework directive on water 2000/60/EC, the framework directive 2008/56/EC, the strategy for the marine environment, and the water initiative). This comes at a time when the extreme hydrological phenomena that have occurred over recent years are likely to be made worse by climate change.
The unanimous conclusions adopted on Tuesday 21 June in Luxembourg by the Environment Council on this priority of the outgoing Hungarian Presidency hail the Commission's intention to propose, in 2012 (probably mid-year), an answer to this challenge in the form of a “blueprint” to safeguard water resources in Europe. The programme is expected to take into account the “quality report” on action regarding water, and the Commission should assess the effectiveness and implementation of the policy and legislation in force within the EU, the Council states.
The EU27 consider that extreme hydrological phenomena should be integrated into policies covering land-use, agriculture, nature conservation and infrastructure. Natural water retention measures (such as reforestation, restoration of food plains and the development of wetlands) may often be solutions that are of interest financially while at the same time presenting additional environmental advantages, for example for the protection of biodiversity.
The Council considers that concerns relating to water must be integrated into EU policies and that the aspects relating to water management must be better integrated into cohesion, transport, energy, climate, and maritime policies, as well as into the common fisheries policy and the common agricultural policy (agriculture being one of the main sectors that use water and a major cause of water pollution). The future EU cohesion policy should therefore take into account, where appropriate, the future needs of infrastructure when it comes to water, and better integrate water policy objectives into the next CAP reform.
The Council underlines the economic value of the many services provided by water masses and highlights the need to protect aquatic ecosystems harmed by extreme hydrological conditions and human activity (urbanisation, agricultural, forestry and industry).
Aware of the need to improve the interface between science and policy, the Council invites the European Commission to study the setting up of a partnership for innovation in the water sector and to develop a roadmap for research on water in the next EU framework programme for research. The Council also underlines the need to continue to develop the WISE (Water Information System for Europe) at EU level, and to have simple and common viability/vulnerability indicators for water resources.
Given the cross-border nature of many of the EU's river basins, the Council invites the Commission to continue talks aimed at concluding international agreements for cooperation between a number of EU member states and third countries bordering on European water catchment areas. (A.N./transl.jl)