Policy Options in the Blueprint April 2012

The ongoing public consultation Runs for 12 weeks to 7June Sets out 12 problems facing Europe’s waters and asks for views on specific options to address these For each problem it also allows respondents to suggest alternative approaches ‘Boundaries’: WFD due for review in 6 years – so limited options amending it. Also CAP, SF Regulations proposed – options cannot seek to change these. Environmental Governance

1. Water accounts, eflows, targets Water accounts, eflows poorly implemented; therefore water unable to be effectively allocated to uses Establish CIS WG to support water accounts, methodology for target setting at RB level and for eflows Recommendation on use of accounts, efficiency targets and eflows Adopt technical annexes to WFD on these issues Specific recommendations are considered for Member States on water accounting, efficiency target setting and eflows at river basin level in the context of the European Annual Growth Survey for the European Semester.

2. Drought management Droughts have/will become more frequent and severe with range of negative impacts Enhance DMP into next RBMP cycle Develop European-wide early warning system Establish drought emergency fund Adopt a drought management directive Environmental Governance

3. Land use incl agriculture Land use, incl agriculture impacts on quality and quantity Commission develop guidance on an EU framework for green infrastructures that promotes natural water retention measures such as floodplains and wetlands restoration; sustainable drainage, the restoration of riparian areas and re-meandering of rivers. Commission develop guidance for integrated water – land use management, bringing together spatial planning and RBMP Develop guidance through CIS agriculture working group on effective application of measures by farmers to deliver water quality and quantity objectives at catchment level. Innovation Partnership on agriculture develop and disseminate innovative solutions Commission ensure implementing rules for post 2013 CAP Pillar I and II support and target necessary measures for water quality and quantity Enhance scope of EIA to irrigation projects Expand scope of SEA to include all hydropower projects

4. Water efficiency of buildings and appliances Design of buildings and appliances does not include water efficiency – a problem in water stressed areas. Some MS are adopting standards – single market issue Voluntary labelling of water using appliances Mandatory labelling of water using appliances Minimum water efficiency requirements for water using appliances, e.g. under the Ecodesign directive CIS WG on water efficiency to prepare ‘BREF’-like notes Voluntary performance rating for buildings Mandatory performance rating for buildings Minimum water performance requirements for buildings A directive on water efficiency requirements in buildings including a requirement on water companies to reduce final water consumption

5 Water leakage In many places too much water is lost in distribution systems Promote leakage reduction in water stressed areas by prioritising it in use of Cohesion and Structural Funds. Promote leakage reduction investment on the basis of public/private partnerships, Eurobonds and/or European Investment Bank loans. Develop guidance on best practices in leakage reduction Develop a harmonised method for determining the level of water leakage under the WFD CIS

6. Re-use of waste water Lack of common standards threatens farm products and inhibits water industry investment. Develop EU guidance on certification schemes for water re-use The Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN) to adopt standards for use of recycled waste water in agriculture. Adopt an EU Regulation establishing standards for waste water re-use.

7. Metering Lack of meters is a barrier to effective pricing to incentivise efficiency Map all EU large irrigated areas via the GMES initiative and match with water abstraction permits to help MS tackle illegal abstraction. Making EU funding for irrigation projects conditional on installating meters for individual users e.g. via CAP and CP rules. Making CAP direct payments conditional on installation of meters for individual farmers undertaking irrigation e.g. via cross compliance rules for WFD. Amend the WFD to make it explicit that the Art.11 requirement of a permit for water abstraction also includes mandatory metering of the quantities abstracted. Amend the WFD to require metering of individual water consumption and/or use where relevant.

8. Water pricing Current water pricing is not an incentive to increase efficiency Add national water pricing obligations for farmers, based on Art.9 WFD, to cross-compliance rules under the CAP for the WFD. Commission to promote the use of trading in water rights at river basin level through guidance and tools under the WFD CIS. The Commission to develop criteria for the sustainable production of bio-energy crops with specific reference to water protection. Specific recommendations are considered for MS on water pricing policies in the context of the European Annual Growth Survey for the European Semester

9. Cost-benefit assessment Costs and benefits of measures poorly assessed – a driver for action in RBMPs The WFD CIS to develop guidance for the next cycle or RBMPs and a methodology for the calculation of an adequate contribution of the different water uses to the recovery of the costs of water services, including environmental and resource costs and ecosystem services' benefits. Amend WFD (an Annex) to contain a mandatory methodology for the calculation of an adequate contribution of the different water uses to the recovery of the costs of water services, including environmental and resource costs and ecosystem services' benefits. Environmental Governance

10. Governance Water governance is sometimes fragmented, lacks sufficient capacity. Sometimes problems in transboundary governance. On the basis of the Commission assessment of the RBMPs, the WFD CIS to identify and disseminate best practices in the EU. Develop a peer review process for river basin district authorities within the context of the WFD CIS. Specific recommendations are considered for Member States on water governance in the context of the European Annual Growth Survey for the European Semester. Develop initiatives on inspections and surveillance to improve the means of detecting and responding to water-related implementation problems such as over-abstraction. Promote the river basin management approach and the implementation of the EU water acquis in enlargement policy and international agreements. Amend the WFD to strengthen the coordination powers of River Basin District authorities and the obligations for combined RBMPs in transboundary contexts.

11. Knowledge Base Insufficient data sharing, not timely, different systems, insufficient added value Improve data sharing by further developing the WISE Implementation Plan Enhance minimum WFD reporting requirements and statistical obligations (e.g. through framework regulations on environmental accounts & statistics), especially on inter-operability of data. Includes harmonising reporting timetables of UWWTD, ND, WFD. Develop a fully inter-operable, SEIS based, shared water knowledge system, reducing reporting requirements while prescribing interoperability standards for the information produced at local and national level and through GMES Develop a roadmap for water research priorities.

Global issues Help developing countries to put in place integrated sustainable water management through EU development cooperation. Raise consumers' awareness of the water footprint of products. Keep under review water foot printing tools with a view to test their usefulness for voluntary product labelling (e.g. as part of EU Ecolabel). Mandatory labelling of most embedded water intensive products Environmental Governance