Website: An EU policy on flood risk management

On 18 January 2006 the European Commission proposed a directive on the assessment and management of floods. Its aim is to reduce and manage the risks that floods pose to human health, the environment, infrastructure and property. Under the proposed directive member states would first need to carry out a preliminary assessment to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas at risk of flooding. For such zones they would then need to draw up flood risk maps and then flood risk management plans focused on prevention, protection and preparedness.