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EUROPEAN WATER POLICY

EUROPEAN WATER POLICY. An overview. EU water policy: where does it come from ?. Water directives: two different approaches. What next? Opening the floor for WFD. EUROPEAN WATER POLICY: 20 YEARS OF A RICH HISTORY. 2 /14. EU water policy: where does it come from ?.

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EUROPEAN WATER POLICY

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  1. EUROPEAN WATER POLICY An overview

  2. EU water policy: where does it come from ? Water directives:two different approaches What next?Opening the floor for WFD EUROPEAN WATER POLICY:20 YEARS OF A RICH HISTORY 2/14

  3. EU water policy: where does it come from ? Water directives:two different approaches What next?Opening the floor for WFD EUROPEAN WATER POLICY:20 YEARS OF A RICH HISTORY 3/14

  4. Origins 1972: a major milestone regarding environmental policies • public policies hardly addressed environment before • first UN Conference on the human environmentin Stockholm • Paris Conference initiated the elaboration of an environmental common policy • Paris Conference initiated the elaboration of an environmental common policy First action programme for the environment • preserving public health • protecting the environment • harmonising the environmental rules within the Common market THE BUILDING OF A COMPLETELY NEW POLICY 4/14

  5. Origins • environmental issues treated in the frame of economic integration • lack of legal basis for environmental policies 1986: environment becomes an autonomous policy 1992 / 1999: power of decision progressively shared between Council and EP unanimity of the Council required for decision-making THE BUILDING OF A COMPLETELY NEW POLICY A slow process to remove several constraints 5/14

  6. Origins Water policy is an environmental policy Only qualitative issues are addressed Lack of integration in major European policies Evolutions rely on society's concern for environment LIMITS APPLYING TO EUROPEAN WATER POLICY 6/14

  7. EU water policy: where does it come from ? Water directives:two different approaches What next?Opening the floor for WFD EUROPEAN WATER POLICY:20 YEARS OF A RICH HISTORY 7/14

  8. Water quality objectives Emission limit values More "pragmatic"standards set with regards to the natural capacity of dilution of water at discharge point More "ambitious"standards set as low as possible based on the use of the best available technologies Two categories of directives in the water sector Approach TWO COMPETING APPROACHES 8/14

  9. Water quality standards are set to ensure the achievement of two main goals Protect the environment • directive on the quality of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water (75/440/EEC - 16/06/1975) • directive on the quality of fish water (78/659/EEC - 18/07/1978) • directive on the quality of shellfish waters (79/623/EEC - 30/10/1979) First wave of directives re. water: between 1975 and early 80's to be repealed by WFD Approach THE "WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES " APPROACH Ensure human health • … at the tap: drinking water directives (80/778/EEC - 15/07/1980 revised: 98/83/EC - 3/11/1998 ) • … in the environment: bathing water directive (76/160/EEC - 8/12/1975; revision ongoing) 9/14

  10.  the quality of water declines in many places  punctual and diffuse emissions spread Second wave of directives re. water: from 1976 to 1991 How to tackle pollution directly? Approach THE "EMISSIONS LIMIT VALUES " APPROACH A set of specific "water directives" • dangerous substances (76/464/EEC - 4/05/1976) • sewage sludge(86/278/EEC - 12/06/1986) • urban wastewater(91/271/EEC - 21/05/1991) • nitrates from agricultural origins (91/676/EEC - 12/12/1991)… Some"environmental directives" • plant protection products(91/414/EEC - 15/07/1991) • IPPC (96/61/EC - 24/09/1996) 10/14

  11. EU water policy: where does it come from ? Water directives:two different approaches What next?Opening the floor for WFD EUROPEAN WATER POLICY:20 YEARS OF A RICH HISTORY 11/14

  12. An assessment of EU water policy • 20 years, 30 directives: a pause is needed • have initial goals been achieved? • what cost for water policies? A new approach for water policies • concerns have changed • a new concept arises: "integrated river basin management " What next? 1990's: ON THE WAY TO WFD... 12/14

  13. June 2000: conciliation procedure After 1999:co-decision Interest groups European Parliament 1998-1999procedural delay Proposal of WFD Interest groups Member States Before 1999:co-operation Mid-90's: intense debates on water policy 6/1998political agreement What next? A DECISION-MAKING PROCESS UNDER PRESSURE 13/14

  14. as an elementofthe decision-making process ? • as a toolfor the achievementof environmental objectives? Two different visions of the use of economics WFD combines both approaches The principle of recovery of costs • degree of recovery: full or not? • scope for recovery: what sector? WFD requires to take it into account Discussion opened at district scale on the degree What next? ECONOMICS IN THE DEBATE 14/14

  15. GO FURTHER • Presentation of the main water directives • Chronology of WFD elaboration • Main issues at stake during the debate prior to the adoption of WFD

  16. Approach THE FIRST DRINKING WATER DIRECTIVE80/778/EEC - 15/07/1980 Objectives • public health: determine common quality criteria and control rules for waters intended for human consumption Contents • imperative quality standards • monitoring requirements under member states' responsibility • possibility for members states to adopt stricter criteria • limited possibilities for temporary derogations Main results • heavy investments in all member states for implementation • general improvement of the quality of water distributed

  17. Approach THE REVISED DRINKING WATER DIRECTIVE98/83/EEC - 3/11/1998 Origins • integrate technical and scientific better capacities • focus on public health Main changes • two types of standards: • imperative (31): public health driven • indicative (25): indicators of water treatment plants' performance • several changes • legal framework for the management of non conformities Comment • 80/778/EEC directive will be fully repealed in December 2003

  18. Approach THE BATHING WATER DIRECTIVE76/160/EEC - 8/12/1975 Objectives • reduction and prevention of the pollution of bathing waters • key concern: public health Contents • minimum quality criteria • sampling and analysis requirements • possibility for MS to adopt more stringent values • limited derogations Result and Comment • major improvement of the quality of European bathing waters • revision ongoing: more ambitious standards, global approach, better information of citizens...

  19. Approach THE DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES DIRECTIVE76/464/EEC - 4/05/1976 Objectives • harmonise the legislation of MS • take preventive action at source Contents • monitoring of dangerous substances: list 1 (discharge to be ended) and list 2 (discharge to be reduced) • all discharges are subject to prior authorisation • quality objectives and emission standards for list 1 • daughter directives to ensure full implementation Result and Comment • derogations reduce the impact on the quality of waters • low implementation and limited number of daughter directives • similar directive on groundwater: 80/68/EEC - 17/12/1979

  20. Approach THE SEWAGE SLUDGE DIRECTIVE86/278/EEC - 12/06/1986 Objective • ensure harmless use of sewage sludge in agriculture Contents • use in agriculture is dependent on agronomic properties • limit values for heavy metals in sludge and in the soil and maximum annual quantities • use of sewage sludge is restricted or prohibited where potentially harmful to the environment • frequent sampling and analysis of soil and sludge • MS keep records with all relevant information Result and Comment • revision ongoing

  21. Approach THE URBAN WASTEWATER DIRECTIVE91/271/EEC - 21/05/1991 Objective • address one of the main sources of pollution of water Contents • tight timetable with ultimate deadline in 2005 • the treatment of urban water is to be adapted according to the sensitivity of the receiving waters • MS' responsibility for monitoring both discharges from treatment plants and receiving waters Results and Comments • very large scope: all areas over 2000 EH • significant improvement in water quality but… level of treatment often underestimated; lots of breaches of deadline • debates regarding implementation costs

  22. Approach THE NITRATES DIRECTIVE91/676/EEC - 12/12/1991 Objectives • reduce or prevent water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources (intensive livestock farming and crop growing) Contents • MS identify water (which could be) affected by pollution and vulnerable zones which contribute to pollution • possibility to set up action programme instead • codes of good agricultural practice to be implemented by farmers on a voluntary basis Results and Comments • ambitious objectives with comprehensive approach • no connection with CAP • lack of implementation: several cases before ECJ

  23. Approach THE PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS DIRECTIVE91/414/EEC - 15/07/1991 • setting uniform rules for authorising plant protection products • ultimately put out of the market the most dangerous ones Objectives Contents • list of active substances combined with an autorisation system • procedure for updating the list • harmonised rules for labelling, placing on the market, etc. Comments • specific attention paid to water

  24. Approach THE IPPC DIRECTIVE96/91/EEC - 24/09/1996 Objectives • prevent or minimise air, water and soil pollution from highly polluting industrial installations Contents • obligations and procedure based on a licensing system • setting of emission limit values • transitional period until October 2007 Comments • amended in 2003 in order to ensure more public participation

  25. Need for a global re-thinkingof the European water policy 1994 Proposal for a directive onthe ecological qualityof water (COM(93)680 final) • no simplification and no clear coherence with the existing legal framework • no integrated approach yet • high implementation costs expected early1990's • implementation costs vs. achievements • too sectorial approach • on-going revisions: drinking and bathing waters, hazardous substances • requests for more subsidiarity • concern about ECJ's pressure Debates onseveral aspects of EU water policy What next? THE WFD, THE CONCLUSION OF A 10-YEAR PROCESS (A)

  26. 2000 Adoption of WFD(2000(60)EC) • legally binding objectives; limited derogations • ambitious environmental objectives (2015) • less stringent on pricing & hazardous substances 1997 Proposal of WFD(COM(97)49) Abundant criticism Opening of a tough negotiation round • simplification: repeals several directives • based on river basin • stringent environmental objectives (2010) • full cost recovery pricing of water uses 1995-97 Discussions on the future ofEU water policy General agreement on leading principles • public hearings held by EP • Council's call for a framework text • Commission's communication, roots of WFD What next? THE WFD, THE CONCLUSION OF A 10-YEAR PROCESS (B)

  27. Member statesfocus on implementation European Parliamentfocus on results Legally binding character of WFD vs. Not too strict, high subsidiarity Regulatory text, "common" approach Deadlines for implementation vs. Very distant, extended derogations Close, very limited derogations Emissions of hazardous substances Ambitious expectations vs. Moderate approach Impact of WFD Priority concern for water Concern for all side-effects (social…) vs. COMPETING EXPECTATIONS ON KEY ISSUES What next?

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