European Union Water Framework Directive
From WaterWiki
The Water Framework Directive creates a legal framework for the protection and restoration of clean waters across the European Union (the official title is Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy). The Directive, which entered into force in December 2000, provides common principles, approaches and requirements for water management in the European Union; it also leaves broad leeway for Member State individual approaches.
The Directive addresses EU surface waters, including coastal waters, as well as groundwater. By 2015, Member States are to achieve "good water status", a term that incorporates both chemical parameters (i.e. low pollution levels) as well as ecological ones (healthy ecosystems).
Under the Directive, water management is based on river basins. EU Member States set up river basin districts and designate the administrative unit for each district: in many Member States, these are water councils. Where a river basin includes more than one Member State or crosses from the EU to neighboring countries, the Directive calls for the creation of an international river basin district. Both national and international districts should prepare management plans by 2009, and these provide a form of IWRM planning.
- OLD VERSION
- The EU Water Framework Directive [Directive (2000/60/EC)] was approved by the European Parliament and Council in September 2000 and came into force on 22nd December 2000. The Directive, generally known as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a legislation to protect and improve the water quality all inland and coastal water-bodies in Europe. A key aspect of the Directive is the involvement of river basin councils in the sustainable management of water bodies.
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Water Framework Directive
The aim of the 2000 Water Framework Directive [1](WFD) is to achieve good water status (a term that incorporates both chemical parameters (i.e. low pollution levels) as well as ecological ones (healthy ecosystems)) for all waters (inland, coastal and river) across the European by 2015. The Directive also aims to ensure clean waters are kept clean.
The Directive entered into force in December 2000. It provides common principles, approaches and requirements for water management in the European Union; it also leaves broad leeway for Member State individual approaches.
In particular the Water Framework Directive:
i. provides a legal framework for managing ground- and surface-water;
ii. aims to ensure that the environmental costs of supplying water are included in the water price;
iii. entails an obligation on Member States to explain decisions taken on water management including planning, requiring them to draft ‘river-management plans’ iv. allows for far-reaching public scrutinizing of for example local authorities’ plans to build dams etc.
In achieving these objectives, the roles of citizens and citizens' groups will be crucial. This is highlighted by the setting up of the Water Information System for Europe – or WISE. It is a web portal which provides the public with information on water and water-related topics. The portal is a collaborative effort between the European Environment Agency and the European Commission.
Furthermore the framework directive on water advocates a boosting of the part played by pricing in order to improve the sustainability of water resources. It promotes the use of pricing and taxation as an incentive for consumers to use water resources in a more sustainable manner and to recover the cost of water services per sector of the economy as the sustainability of water resources is threatened in several of Europe's regions. The use of economic instruments is also recognised at Community level. The Treaty considers that, in particular, the "polluter pays" principle is an underlying principle of European environmental policies.
Under the Directive, water management is based on river basins. EU Member States set up river basin districts and designate the administrative unit for each district: in many Member States, these are water councils. Where a river basin includes more than one Member State or crosses from the EU to neighbouring countries, the Directive calls for the creation of an international river basin district. Both national and international districts should prepare management plans by 2009, and these provide a form of IWRM planning.
Human rights-based approaches in the Directive
The Directive includes some wording related to human rights. Its recital to the Directive states that:
- "Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such"
Another recital calls for public participation in decisions on plans and measures for river basin management.
At the same time, the Directive places a strong emphasis on cost recovery. Its Article 9 states that EU countries “shall take account of the principle of recovery of the costs of water services”. Economic analyses should be carried out to ensure adequate contributions by different classes of users, including households. The article does, however, note that Member States can take into account “social, environmental and economic effects” of cost recovery.
Related legislation
The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC of 23 October 2000 [2] is a central element in EU water legislation.
A number of other directives form part of the European Union's policy on water:
• Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive [3] 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning discharges of municipal and some industrial waste waters;
• Nitrates Directive [4] 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources of 12 December 1991;
• Drinking Water Directive [5] 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 concerning potable water quality;
• Bathing Water Directive [6] 2006/7/EC of 15 February 2006;
• Protection of groundwater Directive [7] 2006/118/EC of 12 December 2006;
• Flood Risks Directive [8] 2007/60/EC of 23 October 2007.
The European Commission has proposed a Marine Strategy Directive [9] that would require the attainment of good status of the European Union’s marine areas, following a similar approach to the Water Framework Directive.
International cooperation
Under the Water Framework Directive, EU Member States should cooperate with neighbouring countries on shared river basins. The Danube provides the strongest example of this cooperation: the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River acts as the umbrella body for the Directive’s implementation across the 10 EU countries and 8 non-EU countries in the Danube river basin.
Upcoming and past events
- Targeting North-Eastern border of the EU: Debe (Poland), 18/19 October 2005, at the invitation of the Government of Poland and the European Commission (for the information notice click here).
- WFD Workshop targeting South-Eastern Europe will be held in Belgrade (Serbia and Montenegro) at the beginning of 2006, at the invitation of the Government of Italy.
Further Readings, References, Links
Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
Workshop on the Lake Skadar International Designation for Territorial Development
Water Framework Directive on the DEFRA, UK site
Water Framework Directive on the EU website
More useful links:
- The WFD scoreboard (last updated end 2005), reflecting the last submissions by Member States.
- All Article 3 (River Basin Districts) and Article 5 (River Basin Districts Analysis) reports: http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/implementation_documents_1/wfd_reports
Links and further readings
International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River
Technical guidance documents for the implementation of the Directive
WISE portal for water information (jointly operated by the European Commission and EEA)
