14 November 2012 for immediate
release
The European Commission (EC) has today
released the Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources[1]. The
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) welcomed the EC’s conclusion that the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the right
instrument to achieve good conditions of waters in Europe. However this can only
be achieved if the WFD is enforced which is currently far from the case. The
Blueprint assesses the progress made in the field of
water management in the EU to date, and includes proposals for policies up to
2020.
The Blueprint makes it clear that Member
States are lagging behind with implementing the WFD since its entry into force
in 2000, and that there are major gaps in several areas. The EEB condemns
efforts by European Member States to delay the implementation of the Directive,
thus depriving European citizens of their right to enjoying an improved water
environment in the foreseeable future. Pieter de Pous EEB Policy Director said:
‘We are pleased to hear that the Commission plans to enforce the WFD in a
strict and timely manner based on its country-specific recommendations that will
be issued to all 27 countries. The unnecessary foot dragging in this area has
already done enough harm to waters, aquatic life, animals and humans.’
The EEB is concerned however that the
Blueprint has failed to come up with new measures to improve water efficiency.
By 2030 global water supply shortage is expected to reach 40%, meaning that most
EU countries will experience water scarcity and shortage. In view of this, the
Blueprint’s approach to solely rely on existing instruments, without proposing
to mobilize European product policy to address water consumption through
household devices and irrigation equipment carries a high risk. Even more
worryingly is the lack of support among negotiators on the new Common
Agriculture Policy to make the receipt of future farm subsidies conditional on
installing water meters and complying with abstraction controls. In some
countries, rivers and groundwater reserves will soon run dry or be rendered
unusable as a result of sea water intrusion and European citizens will pay a
high price for the EU’s inaction in this field.
The Blueprint’s focus on ecosystem-based
measures (so-called Natural Water Retention Measures) is welcomed as the right
approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Including the WFD in the
CAP cross-compliance regime and implementing obligatory water metering and
pricing for farmers is essential and a vital first step to correct the farming
sector’s wasteful use of water.
Notes:
[3] European Environment Agency report: More than half of EU surface waters below ‘good’ ecological
status
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