Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in the European Union
Date: 2008-04-10
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: conservation of resources, drought, environmental protection, fixing of prices, information system, public awareness campaign, use of water, water consumption, water management

5.7.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/49

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and
droughts in the European Union’

(2008/C 172/10)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— echoes the concern of regions and local authorities about the problems observed around the Mediter-
ranean and in central and western Europe due to droughts and phenomena such as abnormally dry
years, empty reservoirs, difficulties with groundwater tables, problems with brackish water in coastal
water tables, reductions in groundwater levels, changes in the hydrological regime owing to inadequate
planning, changes in the normal rainfall patterns and water pressures resulting from natural causes or
human action, leading to the consequences already observed by the Commission in its preparatory
work;

— advocates a coherent water planning policy in Member States and the regions, in which Community
funds invested in infrastructure have the aim of conserving water, preserving uplands and wetlands,
regenerating forested areas, water-saving and efficiency and reallocating water between uses, and of
alleviating situations caused by severe drought or water scarcity, by providing additional means of
water supply;

— welcomes the Commission's Communication on the ‘Health check’ of the Common Agricultural
Policy, as regards the inclusion of water management as a new challenge for the Common Agricultural
Policy; agrees with the Commission that the possibility of closer integration of water management
issues in rural and upland development programmes should be considered. The CoR calls for the
value of arable land and upland areas, rich in water and forests, to be studied as a means of generating
atmospheric humidity and attracting rain and of halting desertification caused by climate change.

C 172/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.7.2008

Rapporteur:

Francisco CAMPS ORTIZ, President of the Generalitat of Valencia (ES/EPP)

Reference document:

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council — Addressing the
challenge of water scarcity and droughts in the European Union

COM(2007) 414 final

Policy recommendations

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

welcomes the Communication from the Commission on
1.
water scarcity and droughts in Europe, considering it to be fully
in line with Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive),
which must form the general basis for any water policy in the
EU;

2.
endorses the Commission's description of the difference
between ‘drought’ and water scarcity, which is defined as
‘while “drought” means a temporary decrease in water
follows:
availability due for instance to rainfall deficiency, “water scarcity”
means that water demand exceeds the water resources exploi-
table under sustainable conditions’;

emphasises

drought
are
3.
that water
phenomena which occur in certain regions of
the EU and
should be managed in accordance with local and regional condi-
tions;

scarcity

and

4.
urges the Member States and Europe's regions and munici-
palities to strive to conserve and save water, to cut down the
wastage of water and to expand water reuse: these are absolute
priorities, above and beyond other alternatives,
in order to
combat water scarcity and droughts; also calls for structural
measures to provide sustainable solutions for water scarcity and
drought problems;

5.
stresses that to combat water scarcity and droughts, abso-
lute priority must be given to creating an economy that uses
water efficiently and sustainably and that saves it. Saving water
also means saving energy. Like energy, water is necessary for all
human activities, economic and social;

highlights the role that local and regional authorities can
6.
play in implementing the Water Framework Directive, planning
land and water use, developing the various economic sectors,
protecting the environment and ensuring supply to citizens of
sufficient good quality water;

7.
points out that the regions have much to say about the
different measures proposed by the Commission, particularly
when it comes to guaranteeing all citizens' access to decent
water, protecting both surface and ground water, planning water
usage rationally, preventing and remedying scarcities in the
short, medium and long term, setting the end-price of water,

allocating and reallocating water between uses, saving, reusing
water and applying the water hierarchy in all economic spheres,
ensuring the flexibility and mobility of water flow between
internal or external water management systems, developing
infrastructure for water and for
land reclamation; drafting
drought plans,
improving knowledge and information, mobi-
lising economic sectors, and raising the awareness and guaran-
teeing the involvement of the public;

points out that when it comes to water, the subsidiarity
8.
principle and multi-level governance are particularly relevant,
because it is the responsibility of the European Union, States,
regions and local authorities to take action in response to
droughts and water
through steadfast, mutually
supportive cooperation between regions;

scarcities,

points out

9.
that, although climatic conditions and the
severity of water shortages and droughts vary in different parts
of the European Union, the solutions adopted must coincide in
their compliance with the ecological principles of the European
water policy. Therefore, preference should be given to local and
regional solutions in accordance with the subsidiarity principle;

10.
calls for solidarity in all of the Member States affected,
the application of the subsidiarity principle and a leading role
for the regions and municipalities in order to solve a problem
affecting this vital resource and its protection;

points out that the Member States and regional and local
11.
authorities should focus on the objectives of the existing Water
Framework Directive. The Commission is therefore urged to
press for application of the Water Framework Directive;

With regard to the effects of droughts and water scarcity

12.
echoes the concern of regions and local authorities about
the problems observed around the Mediterranean and in central
and western Europe due to droughts and phenomena such as
abnormally dry years, empty reservoirs, difficulties with ground-
water tables, problems with brackish water in coastal water
tables, reductions in groundwater levels, changes in the hydrolo-
gical regime owing to inadequate planning, changes in the
normal rainfall patterns and water pressures resulting from
natural causes or human action,
leading to the consequences
already observed by the Commission in its preparatory work;

5.7.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/51

13.
endorses the Commission's commitment to continue to
address the challenge of water scarcity and drought at interna-
tional level, in particular through the United Nations Conven-
tion to Combat Desertification and the United Nations Frame-
work Convention on Climate Change;

14.
points out that the Synthesis Report forming part of the
Fourth Assessment Report of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change
on
27 November 2007, predicts with ‘high confidence’ that many
semi-arid areas in the Mediterranean Basin ‘will suffer a decrease
in water resources due to climate change’;

in Valencia

presented

(IPCC),

15.
points out that it is the regions and municipalities which,
because of their close proximity to the end-users, are the first to
have to deal with drought and water scarcity-related problems,
often with insufficient resources. Moreover, it is they who know
which measures are appropriate for the area in question and
who, in cooperation with other regions and municipalities, can
implement these measures, with support
from national and
European bodies;

With regard to planning and rational use of water

The pr ice of water

16.
notes that water and sewage pricing is a particularly
sensitive and important issue for administrations, as they have
to reconcile appropriate incentives to use resources efficiently
with the financial impact of prices on users, given the physical,
climatic and geographical differences, discrepancies between
infrastructures and the different ways that public services are
organised in each area;

highlights that

consideration of

17.
the cost recovery and consumer pays
principles mentioned in the Water Framework Directive do not
preclude
and
the
economic effects of cost recovery and the geographical and
climatic conditions of the region(s) affected; the application of
these principles is the responsibility of the authorities that are
closest to the citizens;

environmental

social,

18.
recommends also considering the ‘polluter pays’ principle
when determining the price of water, as the second pillar of an
integrated management system for this resource. This principle
would commit all users to better use of the resource, and would
make it possible to redistribute revenues according to the
different needs and efforts realised;

recognises

19.
for
measuring water consumption so as to promote water saving
and its efficient and rational use;

the need to mainstream mechanisms

20.
asks the Commission to bear in mind the opinions,
concerns and experiences of regional and local authorities in its
studies on water pricing, especially for issues such as the conse-
quences of strict pricing leaving this resource available only to
framework
the
surrounding supply, treatment and purification; the social and
economic impact of water pricing, and the calculation of the
environmental costs of the resource;

and consumer

sectors;

service

legal

the

Water planning

considers that land-use planning geared towards preser-
21.
vation and sustainability, which is a competence of local and
regional authorities, is a key factor in the proper management
of water, and stresses the importance of strict application of the
Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive and the identifica-
tion of European river basins facing water stress or structural
scarcity;

proposes that the European Union support the regions in

22.
showing cooperation and solidarity with regard to water;

23.
highlights that, in order to make efficient use of water, it
should be possible for this resource to be reallocated between
different uses, depending on the circumstances. It is the role of
the Member States and the regions to develop the necessary
infrastructures and the legislative and governance mechanisms
enabling this, in line with social, economic and environmental
sustainability;

welcomes

24.
the Commission's Communication on the
‘Health check’ of the Common Agricultural Policy, as regards the
inclusion of water management as a new challenge for the
Common Agricultural Policy; agrees with the Commission that
the possibility of closer integration of water management issues
in rural and upland development programmes should be consid-
ered. The CoR calls for the value of arable land and upland
areas, rich in water and forests, to be studied as a means of
generating atmospheric humidity and attracting rain and of
halting desertification caused by climate change;

considers that water planning is the best tool for asses-

25.
sing the water available for sustainable regional development;

26.
calls for the inclusion of measures to protect upland
areas, wetlands and green areas in order to overcome the conse-
quences of droughts and flooding linked to climate change,
bearing in mind that this will require environmental, sustain-
ability and water-saving concerns to be taken into account in
water use;

understands,

in the context of

the Water Framework
27.
Directive, that water demand management and water use plan-
ning are based essentially on river basin districts, in cooperation
with the regional authorities concerned; considers, however, that
this basic principle must not result in problems transcending
the borders of a region or district being considered insurmoun-
table;

advocates a coherent water planning policy in Member
28.
States and the regions, in which Community funds invested in
infrastructure have the aim of conserving water, preserving
uplands and wetlands, regenerating forested areas, water-saving
and efficiency and reallocating water between uses, and of alle-
viating situations caused by severe drought or water scarcity, by
providing additional means of water supply (transfers, reservoirs
and desalination), in line with point 37 and subsequent points
below;

C 172/52

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.7.2008

29.
takes account of the specific water planning requirements
on islands and in areas in analogous situations where, due to
the limited availability of water, basic supply can be provided by
desalinating seawater; in these cases, recommends efficient water
use as the most important measure, followed by optimising
energy efficiency and using energy from renewable sources, and
guaranteeing access to water through storage systems that allow
for adequate reserves, together with the promotion and rehabili-
tation of traditional rainwater collection and storage infrastruc-
tures;

scarcities and related disasters will change as
changes;

the climate

proposes, together with the allocation of Community
35.
funds to investment in water infrastructures,
that a specific
European programme be set up for water. This programme
would gather funding from the existing instruments in the Com-
munity budget. It would aim to visibly and coherently support
actions for access to the latest technology, implementation of
good practices, communication measures and improved govern-
ance, helping to create a ‘water-saving culture’;

integrated water management

should take
systems
30.
account of
resources as
the strategic role of groundwater
reserves to be included in drought management and emergency
supply plans;

With regard to the use of Community funds

31.
calls for cross-border cooperation to manage shared
water basins and intergovernmental cooperation in the exchange
of best practices and policy coordination: southern Europe is
used to water scarcities, and these are now worsening in
northern Europe as a result of climate change, as more frequent
flooding and water scarcity problems mean new challenges
must be faced;

With regard to drought risk management plans

32.
considers that the implementation of specific drought
plans is an effective way to move from crisis management to
drought risk management, and believes that the Water Frame-
work Directive is flexible enough to develop specific water
management plans for the river basins concerned;

that

believes

33.
stated in previous
the way ahead, as
opinions, lies in the exchange of information and the drafting of
a specific protocol for droughts or, at national level, the drafting
of specific management plans; acknowledges the key role of
local and regional authorities in defining adaptation strategies,
taking an integrated approach, and encourages them to act in
partnership with the other stakeholders, including users. Against
a background of climate change, it will be necessary for plans
and instruments to be flexible and for knowledge and experi-
ences to be shared. It is important to emphasise that no local or
regional authorities can manage these things independently.
Support in the form of resources, expertise and data is crucial
to success. This can be provided through examples of good
the
practice from other local and regional authorities, but
Member States and the EU should be prepared to help make
such support available;

34.
calls for further consideration of the guidelines set out in
the opinions on natural disasters and climate change, particu-
larly with regard to the role of regions as ‘enforcement officers’
for the relevant adaptation policies, and in response to chal-
lenges such as migratory flows, adjustments to legislation,
changes in user attitudes and strengthening of cooperation
between regions grouped, for instance, according to river basins;
in particular, emphasises that Europe's map of droughts, water

stresses that

36.
the European Solidarity Fund should be
applied to situations of catastrophic drought, and that cata-
strophic droughts should be incorporated into the working
plans of the Community Civil Protection Mechanism, including
specific protocols and in coordination with the drought observa-
tory, by means of an early warning system;

With regard to the consideration of additional water supply infrastruc-
tures

considers that additional water supply infrastructures
37.
(transfers,
reservoirs and desalination plants) are means to
prevent situations of severe drought, although they are not a
substitute for the responsible use of water resources;

recommends

38.
supply measures
that additional water
should be adopted once all the preventive measures are in place,
in line with the water hierarchy system and subject to coherent
planning. Use of different infrastructures should ensure balanced
and sustainable environmental, social and economic develop-
ment;

recommends that the competent authorities consider the
39.
reuse of purified waste water via adequate regulation and distri-
bution infrastructures as a means of managing demand; under-
lines the need to take all necessary measures to ensure that
water from waste treatment plants is not used for drinking
water but restricted to certain uses which are acceptable from
the environmental and health angles;

40.
considers that national, regional and local hydrological
planning as set out under the terms of the Water Framework
Directive should include the assessment of structural deficits and
resources which can still be sustainably used by these areas,
taking the future potential of planning areas and environmental
restrictions into account;

41.
is in favour of transfers of surplus resources and other
inter-system exchanges of water in each Member State as a
means of showing solidarity with regard to water, provided that
these measures have a positive impact on the environment, and
guarantee the quality of water bodies and the recovery of water
tables and water flows;

5.7.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/53

42.
considers that, against a background of climate change,
energy efficiency and sustainability must be decisive factors
when choosing between options for the external supply of
water flows to planning areas (transfer or desalination). Desali-
nation is an energy-intensive process and therefore has a high
environmental
impact, and should only be considered as an
option in circumstances where the benefits outweigh that
impact;

48.
considers that public involvement in the implementation
of the Water Framework Directive and the definition of water
policy should provide an opportunity to raise public awareness
and to inform and encourage people to use this resource
responsibly; this applies particularly to the drafting of drought
plans. The Committee
to
promote this involvement;

therefore urges

the authorities

43.
believes that decisions regarding the feasibility and char-
acteristics of external supply must take into account the envir-
onmental effects, energy efficiency and costs of the additional
infrastructure needed to incorporate water flows into planning
areas;

49.
proposes the development of market mechanisms, rein-
forcing the criteria for water saving within the product lifecycle
and taking into account quality and certification systems such as
EMAS in production processes, eco-design and a ‘water-friendly’
label
for products, so that citizens and public and private
contractors can learn their water footprint and change their
consumption;

44.
concludes that informing the public and complying with
environmental and economic conditions will promote social
consensus with regard to the construction of additional water
supply infrastructure (pipelines, desalination plants). Water in
river basins receiving an additional water supply should be used
in a particularly consistent and responsible manner;

45.
will pay close attention to studies by the European
Commission on additional water supply infrastructure, particu-
larly with regard to transfers, reservoirs and desalination;

With regard to water-efficient technologies and practices

46.
supports the promotion of research to bring economic
activity, decision-making procedures and water efficiency into
line with the challenges raised by water scarcity and drought. In
this context, appropriate solutions could include creating incen-
tives for sanitation manufacturers to make more economical
and water-efficient products, penalising unjustified wastage,
imposing penalties for illegal drilling and drawing of water,
setting up levies and/or tax concessions, providing incentives for
water efficiency in all fields, promoting the use of clean technol-
ogies in industry, establishing clear, stable ground rules for
transferring rights for water usage between users and for
working out the relevant compensation, and developing volun-
tary agreements;

With regard to the water-saving culture in Europe

47.
urges regional and local authorities to set up public
communication, awareness and information campaigns high-
lighting the value of water, and to include the importance of
training
in
water-friendly
programmes. Particular
focus should go to informing and
raising awareness among tourists and other people who travel
from one region to another;

educational

behaviour

and

considers that

the eco-efficiency of

50.
infrastructure and
equipment must be promoted through the corresponding
quality and certification systems. Local and regional authorities
can promote water saving and recycling in buildings and urban
infrastructures. Through investments and legislation in addition
to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the regions
could encourage the recovery of rainwater and water from
building cooling systems, and could make use of secondary
networks in cities and buildings in order to use non-drinking
water for cleaning,
irrigation and sanitation purposes. Tourist
facilities, including golf courses and farms must in particular be
required to reuse and recycle the water that they utilise;

highlights the essential role of
in establishing partnerships with civil

the regions and local
51.
society and
bodies
economic players, through voluntary agreements, incentives and
taxes, with a view to saving water and improving efficiency;

52.
points out that water is one of the areas where most
money and efforts are being invested in decentralised coopera-
tion with third countries, and it is the cooperation networks set
up by the regions and municipalities that are most flexible,
tightly-knit and close to citizens; calls for collaboration and the
exchange of information and experience between cooperating
regions in order to achieve, with the contribution of the Euro-
pean Union and its Member States, the UN's Millennium Goals;

53.
advocates the exchange of best practices and debate
between the regions on the subject of water, so that they can
learn about successful water management experiences;

With regard to the European information system

considers that the Water Information System for Europe
54.
(WISE) and the management of indicators are reliable means by
which to find out the scale, impact and evolution of droughts in
Europe;

C 172/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.7.2008

55.
highlights the role of the authorities in compiling data,
fostering basic research and information monitoring, encoura-
ging the development of common methodologies and, if neces-
sary, compatible, comparable indicator systems, exchanging
knowledge and experience and prioritising the empowerment
and coordination of administrations in order to obtain full data
on their areas; therefore, supports the creation of a European
Drought and Desertification Observatory to monitor water scar-
city and forecast droughts in the context of climate change;

With regard to research and technological development

activities within the EU's 7th Framework Programme should be
enhanced and encouraged;

highlights the importance of the regions as a driving
57.
force behind technological
innovation in the field of water,
given that water efficiency will be an increasingly important
therefore, proposes for strategic
factor
information exchange
reasons that inter-regional cooperation,
and strategic partnerships with technological platforms be
stepped up;

for competitiveness;

56.
agrees that it is necessary to disseminate and facilitate the
use and exploitation of the results of research on water scarcity
and droughts, and that technological research and development

58.
lastly, concludes that against the backdrop of climate
change, the proposals made in response to the challenge of
water scarcity and drought could bear fruit in the short term.

Brussels, 10 April 2008.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE