Legal Framework for Cooperation in the River Basin Daugava/Zapadnaya Dvina

1. Legal Framework for Cooperation in the River Basin Daugava/Zapadnaya Dvina Dzidra Hadonina Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of LatviaKiev, Ukraine, November 22-24, 2004

2. Contents • Water legislation in Latvia • Daugava River Basin Project • International co-operation

3. General facts about the Republic of Latvia • The territory of Latvia is 64 589 km2 • 44.4% of total area is forestland • 39% of land is used in agriculture • 2256 lakes larger than 1 ha • Total number of water courses in approximately 12 000 (lenght of 777 rivers exceed 10 km)

4. Water legislation Transposition of the Water Framework Directive viaadoption of: • new “Law on Water Management” • 7 new regulations of Cabinet of Ministers

5. Law on Water Management • Adopted by the Latvian Parliament (Saeima) on September 12, 2002 In force since October 1, 2002 • Framework law for water protection and management • Transposes basic principles and requirements of the Water Framework Directive

6. The Law defines: • Establishment of 4 River Basin Districts • Establishment of new institutions – 4 river basin authorities and co-ordination councils Precise boundaries of the River Basin Districts has been identified by Cabinet of Ministers

7. N ESTONIA Salaca GAUJA RBD Gauja RUSSIA VENTA RBD DAUGAVA RBD Venta LIELUPE RBD Lielupe LITHUANIA BELARUS River Basin Districts in Latvia

8. Management structure Ministry of Environment LEA SEI State Geological Survey Venta RBD Authority Co-ordination Council Co-ordination Council Gauja RBD Authority Co-ordinationCouncil Co-ordination Council LielupeRBD Authority Daugava RBD Authority

9. River Basin District Authorities • Develop and update management plans, programmes of measures and related documents • Develop proposals concerning financial resources needed for implementation of plans & programmes • Co-ordinate implementation of plans & programmes • Participate in the development of monitoring programmes • Ensure public participation • Arrange the work of the advisory boards

10. Co-ordination Coouncils • Represents public authorities, municipalities, non-governmental organisations located within the particular River Basin District • Discuss and co-ordinate interests of these groups concerning water use, etc. • Discuss and provide conclusions on the River basin management plan and Programme of measures

11. Latvian Environment Agency • Develops monitoring programmes for each river basin district • Develops proposals concerning financial resources for their implementation • Co-ordinates implementation of the monitoring programmes • Reports to the European union

12. DaugavaRiver Basin Project • Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Latvia and Latvian Environmental protection fund • Swedish Environmental ministry through the Swedish Environmental agency • ‘Daugavas Fonds” (task group) • Vattenresurs – Sverige AB (consultant)

14. Daugava Project objectives • Demonstrate the implementation of the EU- Water Linked Directives • Facilitate Latvia in the EU-approximation within the water oriented environmental protection • Produce trained water administrators • Demonstrate future co-operation within the Latvian water administration and stakeholders

15. DAUGAVA RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN 1.Description of river basin 6.Monitoring system 2.Characteristic of surface waters and groundwaters 7.Typology of surface water objects and ecological quality and quality objectives 3.Impact of human activities 8. Programs of measures 4.Economic analysis of water use 9.Summary of public information and consultation results 5.Protected areas

16. Outcomes (I) • Daugava River Basin District Management Plan - the first European River Basin Management Plan according to the Water Framework Directive • Programmes of measures • Involvement of stakeholders

17. Outcomes (II) • Typology for rivers and lakes • Typology for groundwaters • Quality classes for rivers and lakes • Designated Surface water bodies (SWB) • Quality objectives for SWB’s • Monitoring programme (proposal) • River Basin Information System (proposal)

18. International co-operation (I) • Trilateral agreement between governments Latvia, Russia and Byelorussia in relation to Daugava river basin management has been adopted by Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia on April 15, 2003 • Project “Three Rivers, Three Tasks, Three Countries” - monitoring of small border rivers (Latvia, Estonia, Russia)

19. International co-operation (II) • Technical Protocol between the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Lithuania on Cooperation in Managing the International River Basin Districts has been signed on October, 24 2003 in Palanga • Agreement between the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Latvia and the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Estonia on Cooperation in Protection and Sustainable Use of Transboundary Water Courses has been signed on October, 24 2003 in Palanga

20. Thank you for attention!