Environment ministers likely to strike deal to protect Union’s lakes and rivers

Date: 11/06/1998

By Simon Coss

EU ENVIRONMENT ministers are likely to reach an unofficial agreement on the shape of a framework water directive aimed at safeguarding Europe's lakes, rivers and springs when they meet next week.

Formal adoption of the text will, however, have to wait until the European Parliament has debated the new water rules, probably next month.

The framework directive is designed to bring together the current patchwork of EU water rules and prevent any further deterioration in the quality of Europe's water.

The increase in the size of the Union's cities, industrial expansion and the advent of intensive farming techniques have all taken their toll on the EU's water supplies, both in terms of increased pollution and a general lowering of the water table.

The new rules aim to ensure the Union's water supply is safeguarded as it flows from springs, through lakes and rivers and into the sea, a principle known as 'river basin management'.

They are designed to prevent an incident in one country, such as a chemical spill into a river, having a knock-on effect on neighbours downstream.

But in the run-up to next Tuesday's (16 June) ministerial meeting, green campaigners are warning that plans to protect the Union's water supply will only succeed if EU governments recognise that it is a scarce resource and begin charging for it accordingly.

The World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says it is cautiously optimistic about the way negotiations on the framework directive are progressing, but insists governments must not shy away from taking tough decisions over the amount Europeans should be charged for their water supplies in future.

"Water needs to be priced as a relatively scarce resource. If you asked economists today how much water costs, they would tell you the only real price is the cost of getting it to the tap and treating it, and we don't think that's adequate," said WWF expert Tony Long.

The issue of charging for water-use has been a major bone of contention between EU governments since Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaard came forward with her first proposals last February.

Originally, Bjerregaard referred specifically to recovering the real costs of water production and consumption. This wording was, however, toned down during negotiations between EU governments and the text now speaks of recovering the costs of water services, a rather more ambiguous concept.

Under the current proposal, governments would be required to draw up river basin management plans which should be in place ten years after the directive comes into force and fully functioning six years after that.

Member states would, however, be able to request two further six-year extensions if they needed extra time to comply with the directive.

See Section 11.1.a for overview references to Environment Council, Luxembourg, 16-17.6.98.