Commission staff working document accompanying the follow up report to the communication on water scarcity and droughts in the European Union COM(2007) 414 final {COM(2008) 875 final}
Date: 2008-12-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU waters, conservation of resources, drought, environmental protection, environmental research, fixing of prices, information system, use of water

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 19.12.2008 
SEC(2008) 3069 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

accompanying 

the Follow up Report to the Communication on Water Scarcity and Droughts in the 
European Union COM(2007) 414 final 

{COM(2008) 875 final} 

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WORK PROGRAMME FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MEASURES OF THE 
COMMUNICATION ON WATER SCARCITY AND DROUGHTS 

1. PUTTING THE RIGHT PRICE TAG ON WATER 

– 

Combining effective water pricing with metering 

Introduce  water  pricing  policies  with  incentives  for  efficient  water  use; 
make the 'user pays' principle the rule (art.9 of WFD) 

National  

•  By 

2010 

Continue  efforts  to  spread  metering  programmes  more  widely  in  all 
water using sectors – including compulsory controls on abstractions (art. 
11(3)(e) of WFD) 

Take into account the OECD Work Programme on sustainable financing 
for sound water management 

End 2008 - 
March 
2009 

2. ALLOCATING WATER AND WATER-RELATED FUNDING MORE EFFICIENTLY 

– 

Improving land-use planning 

Policy options of White Paper on adaptation to climate change 

Follow up of CAP Health Check on cross-compliance 

Discussions  on  the  post  2013  CAP  (in  the  framework  of  the  cross-
compliance system) and cohesion policies 

Study on impact of biofuel development on water availability 

EU  

EU 

EU 

EU 

From 2009 

2008/2009 

From 2013 

Nov 2008 

Continue  stringent  implementation  of  SEA  Directive  in  all  economic 
sectors  

National 

Now 

Inclusion of appropriate regulations in WFD programmes of measures in 
order to restore a sustainable balance in all water-scarce river basins 

National 

Now to 
end 2009 

– 

Financing water efficiency 

Follow up of CAP "health check" on modulation and rural development  

EU and 
national 

2008/2009 

Study on place of WFD issues in rural development programmes 

EU 

Oct. 2008 

Consider with Member States review of Community strategic guidelines 
on cohesion 2007-2013 

EU and 
national 

From 2009 

Discussions  on  the  post  2013  CAP  (in  the  framework  of  the  cross-
compliance system)  

EU 

From 2013 

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Improve use of EU and national funds for water management within the 
programmes for 2007-2013 (including as a result of on-going 
evaluations) 

National 

2009/2010 

Continue  efforts  to  further  develop  fiscal  incentives  to  promote  water-
efficient devices and practices 

National 

Now 

3. IMPROVING DROUGHT RISK MANAGEMENT 

– 

Developing drought risk management plans 

Report on drought management plans  

EU 

2009 

Development  of  drought  management  plans  (according  to  Article  13(5) 
WFD) 

National 

By end 
2009 

– 

Developing an observatory and an early warning system on droughts 

Develop European Drought Observatory and early warning system 

EU 

By 2012 

– 

Further optimising the use of the EU Solidarity Fund and the European Mechanism 
for Civil Protection 

In  the  framework  of  the  next  budget  review  examine  whether  further 
progress  needs  to  be  made  in  the  definition  of  the  criteria  and  eligible 
operations for the use of the EUSF to better respond to drought events 

EU  

From 2009 

In  relation  to  the  Community  Civil  Protection  Mechanism,  consider  all 
opportunities  to  focus  on  drought  issues  in  future  annual  work 
programmes  

Request the Civil Protection Expert Group on early warning systems to 
develop an approach to optimize the use of the drought early warning 
system and anticipate any civil protection preparatory action 

EU  

From 2009 

Once early 
warning 
system 
operational

4. CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURES 

Commission preliminary assessment of all alternative options 

EU 

Nov 2008 

Take  all  adverse  effects  linked  to  any  new  water  supply  infrastructure 
fully into account in the environmental assessment  

National   Now 

5. FOSTERING WATER EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES 

Assessment of possible needs for standards for water-using devices  

Commission's  proposal  to  include  certain  water-using  devices  in  the 
Ecodesign Directive 

EU 

EU 

Mid 2009 

July 2008 

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Consider inclusion of water efficiency criteria in performance standards 
for buildings  

EU 

Assessment  of  possible  need  for  a  new  directive  for  the  water 
performance of buildings 

EU 

Inclusion of a performance indicator on the use of water in the proposal 
of revision of the EMAS regulation  

EU 

From 2009 

Mid 2009 

July 2008 

Enhance  efforts  to  further  adopt  binding  performance  criteria  for  new 
buildings and for public and private networks, with systems of fines for 
excessive leakages 

National 

Now  

Continue  efforts  to  develop  voluntary  agreements  with  all  economic 
sectors that need water  

EU and 
national  

Now  

6. FOSTERING THE EMERGENCE OF A WATER SAVING CULTURE IN EUROPE 

Explore,  together  with  CSR  Europe  the  possibility  of  launching  an 
Alliance initiative on the efficient use of water 

EU 

End 2008 

– 

Follow-up of Action Plan on SCP/SIP 

Encourage  the  extension  of  existing  EU  labelling  schemes  in  order  to 
promote water-friendly devices 

– 

Follow-up of Green Paper on agricultural product quality 

EU 

2008/2009 

Consider  in  the  light  of  the  public  consultation  how  (1)  water 
management  can  be  better  integrated  in  certification  schemes  (2)  these 
schemes can be used to promote water friendly products 

Continue  efforts  to  develop  actions  of  education,  information  and 
communication  

National 

Now 

7. IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE AND DATA COLLECTION 

– 

Set up a water scarcity and drought information system throughout Europe 

Set up agreed indicators on the extent and impacts of water scarcity and 
droughts 

EU 

Present  an  annual  European  assessment  based  on  data  provided  by  MS 
and stakeholders to the EEA and the Commission 

EU 

– 

Research and technological development opportunities 

Action  focused  on  investigation  of  Europe's  risk  from  droughts, 
including the development of a platform of exchange  

EU 

2008/2009 

From 2009

May 2008 
– Nov 
2009 

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