Brussels, 26/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - Agreeing with the rapporteur, Richard Seeber (EPP-ED, Austria) and the compromise reached with Council, the European Parliament opened the way, in Strasbourg on 25 April, to coordinated assessment and management of flood risk in the EU, leaving member states a certain amount of leeway. The tabled proposal for a directive had been presented by the Commission in January 2006 (EUROPE 9214) to establish a framework at European level and to draw lessons from the devastating and deadly flooding of 2002 and 2005 (700 fatalities, displacement of half a million people, and at least €25 billion in insured economic losses). The Parliament's green light at second reading will allow the directive to be adopted. It should be transposed into national law by mid-2009.
The approved text, which endorses the overall agreement with the Council, will make it an obligation for member states to determine which river basins and related coastal zones are exposed to the threat of flooding. They must also draw up maps of the risk of flooding and management plans for the areas concerned.
The preliminary risk assessment should be completed by end 2011 (MEPs managed to have the date initially set brought forward by one year). The maps of flood risk and areas at risk of flooding should be ready by end 2013, and the establishment of risk management plans are due for end 2015.
MEPs strengthened the principle of solidarity between member states, which should give up the measures and activities that considerably increase the risk of flooding in other member states, unless such measures are coordinated. The Parliament thus managed to have: - a reference included in the directive to climate change, which should be taken into account in the preliminary assessments as well as in the report on implementation of the directive, expected from the Commission in 2018; - natural flood plains included in the preliminary assessments and management plans, and for these flood plains to be maintained and restored whenever possible; - management plans comprising encouragement to methods of soil use over time, and for the improvement of water holding. Also, when looking at risk prevention, environmental damage should be taken into account just as risks for people and economic damage are taken into account. (an)