Module 4: European Blueprint EU policy developments and implementation issues in the field of water management Yannick Pochon Istanbul, 2015

What is the Blueprint? The Blueprint to Safeguard Europe's Water Resources presents the policy response to the challenges long-term aim: to ensure sufficient availability of good quality water for sustainable and equitable water use Closely linked to EU 2020 Strategy and Resource Efficiency Roadmap

Why a Blueprint? Improving the implementation of current EU water policy Fostering the integration of water and other policies When necessary, seeking the completion of the current policy framework

Synthesis of policy recommendations building on assessments Impact Assessment « Fitness Check» EU water policy instruments Outlook of sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources Policy Options Nov 2012 Blueprint To Safeguard EU Waters Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Report on 2009 River Basin Management Plans Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Review Water Scarcity & Droughts Strategy Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation Climate Change Vulnerability & Adaptation

The Blueprint package Blueprint Communication COM(2012)673+ Impact Assessment SWD(2012) 381 & 382 Report on River Basin Management Plans COM(2012)670 Commission Staff Working Document, European Overview on River Basin Management Plans, Volumes 1 and 2 SWD(2012) 379 Commission Staff Working Document, River Basin Management Plans, Volumes 3 to 30 (All Member States + Norway) SWD(2012) 379 Communication on the Review of the European Water Scarcity and Drought Policy COM(2012)672 + accompanying Commission Staff Working Document SWD(2012)380 Fitness Check SWD (2012)393

Status of adoption of WFD plans GREEN - River Basin Management Plans adopted! RED – consultations not started, ongoing or finalised but not ALL plans adopted or reported to EC http://water.europa.eu/participation

Assessment River Basin Management Plans: Some general findings A lot of effort put into preparation of the plans and impressive knowledge improvement High uptake of the common framework and common language on water management provided by the WFD Integration of ecological perspective into water management Enhancement of international cooperation Public participation, stakeholder involvement 4 Member States yet to submit all plans Low ambition in many of the plans. Uncompleted setting of measures Lack of comparability in some areas (e.g. chemical status!) Little understanding of aligning water management practices and environment protection (e.g. definition of exemptions) Insufficient consideration of water pricing and definition of costs 7

Status of surface waters Figure on the left: Distribution of ecological status or potential of classified rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters, calculated as percentage of the total number of classified water bodies. It shows the distribution of ecological status or potential for the different types of water bodies (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal). Overall, more than half (55 %) of the total number of classified surface water bodies in Europe are reported to have less than good ecological status/potential. Only around 44% of rivers and 33% of transitional waters are reported to be in high or good status. 56% of the lakes are reported to be in good or high status, and 51% for coastal waters. Figure on the right: Overview of chemical status of surface and groundwater bodies Percentage of rivers, lakes, groundwater, transitional and coastal waters in good, poor and unknown chemical status There is a high percentage of water bodies for which the reported chemical status has been 'unknown' . In many cases, the main reason for this gap is that the status assessment methods have not been fully developed yet or there were not enough monitoring data in this first cycle. In that case, it is advisable to adopt and implement no-regret measures, along with further development of the assessment methods and monitoring networks. However, in most RBMPs, there is no information on what actions will be taken to improve the monitoring and assessment methods for the next cycles. Note: Number of Member States contributing to the dataset: Groundwater (26); Rivers (25); Lakes (22); Transitional (15) and Coastal (20). Percentages shown for rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal are by water body count. Groundwater percentages, however, are expressed by area. The total number of water bodies is shown in parenthesis. Data from Sweden are excluded from surface water data illustrated in the figure. This is because Sweden contributed a disproportionately large amount of data and, classified all its surface waters as poor status since levels of mercury found within biota in both fresh and coastal waters exceed quality standards.

A lot has been achieved, but challenges remain Significant pressures (rivers) Significant impacts (rivers) Source: EEA Source: EEA

Water bodies in good status in 2009 and 2015: What progress expected?   Nb of MS Nb of water bodies % Water bodies in good status or potential 2009 % Water bodies in good status or potential 2015 Progress 2009- 2015 in % Ecological status of surface waters 21 82684 43 53 10 Chemical status of surface waters Information unclear to establish the 2009 baseline Quantitative status of groundwater 24 12022 (5197) 89 (85) 96 (92) 7 (7) Chemical status of groundwater1 3 2477 83 (68) 89 (77) 6 (9) The number of surface water bodies in the calculation is 82684, this is because certain MS are excluded: EL and ES: Lack of RBMPs FI, PL and IT: a high number of WBs in unknown status (threshold 50%) DK: Did not report on exemptions and therefore it is not possible to estimate expected status.  For Belgium only Flanders and the Coastal waters are included, for Portugal the information is coming from the draft RBMPs Total of WBs from WISE and RBMPs (for IE and SI)(127407) – ES (5012)- EL (1324) – DK (17983) – IT (8614) – PL(5643) – FI (6153) = 82678 which is about the number in the table (82684)   For Groundwater: Numbers in brackets are calculated excluding FI and SE that reported a large proportion of groundwater bodies (around half of the EU total) which are largely in good status. EL and ES excluded from the calculations due to lack of plans. DK excluded as it did not report exemptions and therefore it is not possible to estimate the expected status in 2015. Information included from PT refers to draft plans. Information from Belgium refers to Flanders and coastal waters only.

Blueprint impact assessment 12 priority problems Lack of water pricing Lack of metering Lack of labeling of traded goods Land use/Agricultural impacts Inefficiency in buildings/appliances Inefficient water infrastructure (leakage) Lack of water re-use Governance Target setting Drought management Understanding costs and benefits Knowledge base 11 11 11

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding Efficient incentive water pricing CIS Guidance on trading schemes by 2014 Enforcement of Art. 9 WFD (ongoing) Ex-ante conditions under RD&C policy funds 2014 Metering take up Water use reduction in agriculture Precondition for some irrigation projects under RD as of 2014 Reduction of illegal abstraction/impoundments Apply GMES as of 2013 Possible EU initiative on inspections - 2013 Cross-compliance under CAP Awareness of water consumption Support voluntary labeling & certific. schemes Maximisation of the use of NWRM (Green Infr.) CIS Guidance by 2014 Greening of CAP pillar I as of 2014 S&C Funds & EIB loans Efficient water appliances in buildings EU Ecolabel & GPP criteria 2013 Eco-design Working Plan in 2012 Reduction of leakages Best practice/tools on SELL in 2013 Maximisation of water reuse Possible Regulation in 2015 Improvement of governance Peer review of RBMPs (2013 – 2016) In order to address the identified priority problems, in 2 slides I have collected all the policy proposals in the Blueprint, categorised as voluntary, regulatory, conditionality and funding. Due to limited time I will not take you through all of them.

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding Implementation of water accounts, e-flows & target setting CIS Guidance on WAs / E-flows & Target setting by 2014 Reduction of flood risk Through Green Infr. European Flood Awareness System Flood Risk Management Plans by 2015 Reduction of drought risk Through Green Infr. European Flood EDO in 2013-2014 Enforcement of WFD requirements (ongoing) Better calculation of costs and benefits CIS Guidance by 2014 Better knowledge base Upgrading WISE by 2015 Support to developing countries Tackling pollution Report on pharmaceuticals & the environment 2013 Targeted enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED … Cross-cutting EIPs on Water and Agri as of 2013 Overall enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED Possible European Semester Recomm. 2013 CAP, S&C Funds & EIB loans

Follow up Ensuring correct implementation of WFD in first and second RBMP period (Follow up RBMP assessment) Council Conclusions 17.12.2012 Follow up bilaterally (COM+MS,) Possible enforcement action Common Implementation Strategy (CIS work program 2013-2015 incorporated Blueprint policy options) Possible new legislative initiatives Assessment of PoM and integration of EU Water Directives 2019 review WFD

The Groundwater Directive

Good chemical status criteria (Article 3 & Annexes I and II) Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial) EU-wide Quality standards: Nitrates & pesticides (more stringent TVs are required if associated surface waters or directly dependent terrestrial ecosystems need them) TV establishment at most appropriate level (local, regional, national), with account of impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, human toxicology and ecotoxicology knowledge Run-off Drinking water abstraction Threshold values for “risk” substances set by MS (end 2008) – Indicative list of pollutants provided – Transboundary coordination required – Possible amendment at RBMP review =WFD environmental objective (besides quantitative status covered by WFD)

Review of GWD Annexes I and II in 2013 and if appropriate, legislative proposals taking account of monitoring data and research outputs GWD implementation group with MS and stakeholders: https://circabc.europa.eu/w/browse/b1a3fb16-0308-479a-8b6d-0c056b6890e4 9 October Conference in Brussels

The Environmental Quality Standards Directive

An updated list of priority substances 12 new priority substances (very persistent and bio-accumulative, highly toxic, or suspected of being endocrine disruptors) To be monitored regularly in all Member States No later than 2021, action to reduce or eliminate emissions and bring concentrations down to safe levels by 2027

A watch list A new monitoring mechanism – the 'Watch List' - to improve the evidence base for identifying priority substances in the future Three pharmaceutical substances included on the first watch list Provisions to improve the information presented to the public on the chemical status of water A strategic approach to pharmaceuticals  

The Floods Directive

Three stage approach Preliminary flood risk assessment (maps, experience from past floods, predictions of future floods, identification areas of potential significant flood risk) Flood mapping (= knowing areas at risk of flooding, different scenarios, flood hazard maps & flood risk maps), Flood Risk Management Plans (= plans to reduce flood risks, covering all elements of the flood risk management cycle) 26.11.2009 (Transposition) 26.05.2010 (CA/Unit of management) 22.12.2011 2018 22.12.2013 * 2019 22.12.2015 ** 2021 Review /update every 6 years thereafter Reporting to the Commission : 3 months after * = date of 1st review of pressure and impact analysis under the WFD ** = date of 1st review of WFD river basin management plans 22

Urban Waste Water Treatment

Urban Waste Water Treatment Collection rates:15 MS collecting 100 % of total polluting load. All MS maintained or improved previous results, compliance rates below 30 % in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia Secondary treatment 82 %, up 4 points. In EU-15, range 90-100 %, EU-12, average 39 % Compliance rates for more stringent treatment 77 % overall but EU-12 only 14 %, whereas Austria, Germany, Greece, and Finland reached 100 % EU territory designated as a sensitive area increased by 2 points to 75 % UWWTD as a pilot for the Structured Information and Implementation Framework (SIIF)

Drinking Water Directive

Review of Annexes II and III (monitoring and analysis) Article 11.2 requires an update to respond to technical and scientific progress Improving efficiency, effectiveness, comparability Minimum requirements for monitoring to improve public access to information Coherence with water legislation Discussion at DW Commiteee in November

Water reuse ?

Towards an EU instrument on water-reuse ? Impact assessment of the identified policy options Impact Assessment Roadmap – internal agreement at DG ENV by March/April (publication – after agreed with other DGs/services (ISG) and SG) Public consultations – to be launched April/May 2014 (questionnaire), GreenWeek – session on water reuse (5/6/14) Stakeholders meeting – October 2014 Completion of IA (proposal of an EU level instrument on water reuse) – December 2014 EC Impact Assessment Board – March 2015 Commission proposal of an EU-level instrument on water reuse (if justified) – end 2015

Next steps: 4th European Water Conference Brussels, 23–24 March 2015. The main focus of the Conference will be the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive. The timing of the Conference will coincide with the public consultations of the draft River Basin Management Plans and (some of) the draft Flood Risk Management Plans. The Conference will also feature the links to other related Directives and policies. The Conference is aimed primarily at those working on the implementation of the Water Framework and Floods Directives at national and regional level, including stakeholders with a legitimate interest in water policy.

4th European Water Conference Brussels, 23–24 March 2015. Experiences from the first cycle of implementation of the WFD, achievements and lessons learned The European Commission's assessment of the implementation of the WFD programmes of measures Preparations and expectations for the second River Basin Management Plans Experiences so far in the implementation of the Floods Directive, including the preparation of the Flood Hazard and Risk Maps and the Flood Risk Management Plans Integration issues: links between water policy and agriculture, energy, and navigation policies Opportunities to support water policy under the new financing period 2014-2020 (Rural Development Programmes, Operational Programmes, etc.) The role of water policy in the context of Green and Blue Growth Live broadcast Day 1 (23/03/2015) http://scic.ec.europa.eu/streaming/index.php?es=2&sessionno=9b10a919ddeb07e103dc05ff523afe38 Day 2 (24/03/2015) http://scic.ec.europa.eu/streaming/index.php?es=2&sessionno=c2073ffa77b5357a498057413bb09d3a