The Water Framework Directive: Challenges, Threats and Opportunities Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works Athens, June 2003

WFD: The new opportunities Restructuring administration Establishment, for the first time, of a single legislative framework Long term planning in Water Resources Management Decentralization of management to the River basin units Rationalizing water costs Promoting economic sustainability

WFD: The new opportunities Sustainability in water management and use Prevention of further deterioration and achievement of good status for all waters Involving the greater public in the protection of the environment

Implementation in Greece: The key issues River Basins Identification of River Basins Establishment of competent authorities Analysis and Review Analysis of characteristics Review of impact of human activity Economic analysis of water use

Implementation in Greece: The key issues Public Participation Encouragement of active involvement of all interested parties Development and publication of draft RBMPs Pricing - Penalties Providing adequate incentives for efficient use Achieving cost recovery Imposing penalties Effective, proportionate and dissuasive

Implementation in Greece: The Challenge The harmonisation of the National Legislation Clarification of complex actions and implementation processes Scientific, practical and technical issues requiring further elaboration Unprepared administrative structures Lack of technical data and experience The achievement of the WFD objectives, adjusted to the particularities of the Greek region

A major constraint: Strict time schedule The FIRST PROBLEM is the strict time schedule for the implementation. In fact: If the Member States want to achieve a Good quality of inland waters by 2015: They should finalize the economic analysis of water uses and the assessment of current level of cost recovery by 2004. The Gaps from the environmental objectives and the Cost of measures to reduce them have to be estimated by 2006. The effect on cost recovery should be assessed by 2007, and The selection of measures and assessment of costs, the cost effectiveness analysis of measures and the presentation of the river basin management plans have to be completed by 2008. Finally, after 2009 and repeated every 6 years: The Programme of measures and its cost should be determined and the river basin management plans should be published. Water pricing policies and the Appropriate contribution of water uses have to be in place by 2010. The implementation of measures has to begin in 2012, and their effects should be reassessed in 2013.

Particularities of the Greek region Unequal distribution of resources Extensive coastline River Basins of small size Over-exploitation and salinization of groundwater Transboundary river basins

Particularities of the Greek region Unequal distribution of population Seasonality of demand Large number of regions with water scarcity problems Increased irrigation demand

Particularities of the Greek region Capacity shortage in managing water resources Fragmentation of roles, according to existing administrative structures Insufficient legislative framework, not implemented to a large extent Limited public awareness on water issues

New and Scheduled Interventions for the WFD Implementation

Actions in progress Greek Experts’ Participation in the Working Groups Committee assigned to the task Restructuring of the Water Quality and Quantity Monitoring Programs Interregional water issue management strategic planning

Actions in progress Development of a National Water Policy Updating of the National Qualitative and Quantitative water data bases Pilot implementation of the Directive in a river basin Categorization and determination of Reference Conditions of aquatic bodies

International cooperation and coordination Bilateral Agreements between Greece and Bulgaria, for the river Nestos in 1996, concerning: Issues of water sharing (also for the river Ardas ) The amount of water used annually for the irrigation purposes Collaboration Protocols with Bulgaria for: Integrated monitoring of water quality Application of the necessary measures for water protection Initiatives: Between Greece and F.Y.R.O.M. for the protection of the Lakes Megali Prespa and Doirani Between Greece, Albania and F.Y.R.O.M. for the creation of a trounsboundary National Park aiming at the protection of the Prespa Lakes

Scheduled Actions Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works Operational Programme “Environment” Water Quality Monitoring: €12.000.000 Special interventions in the sector of sewerage: €10.200.000 Wastewater Treatment Plants and Sewerage Projects: Submitted projects: €273.030.000 Scheduled projects: €626.054.000 Special Projects (scheduled) €65.340.000.000 Ministry of Development Operational Programme “Competitiveness” Development of systems and tools of water resources management: €6.453.500 Recording and evaluation of Water Resources: 14.061.000 € Moreover, actions will result from the INTERREG Program which is to open to call for proposal soon

The new Administrative Structure National Water Committee National Water Council Central Water Service Water Region Directorates Water Region Councils

Conclusions Effective implementation remains the key challenge Ambitious but legally binding objectives and measures, in a tight timetable