1. 7c-Draft Guidance on Water Balances
European Commission
DG Environment, Unit C1 –Water
Elisa Vargas Amelin

2. Background and process
Blueprint: "bringing in water accounting and water efficiency targets at sectoral level would provide a stronger basis for effective and targeted water protection measures". Water Accounts can tell "how much water flows in and out of a river basin and how much water can realistically be expected to be available before allocation takes place"
Drafting group on water accounts created on Meetings: 21/10/2014 and 19/03/2015 in Brussels. Different versions developed, discussed and distributed for comments.
V.5. distributed on 13 April. Comments gathered until 20 April.
V.6 (final) distributed on 28 April. It now incorporates: additional clarifications (desalination, water reuse, internal water transfer, illegal abstractions), definitions (glossary), GW considerations, illustrations, comparison with SEEA-W…

3. Next steps
Please provide any final remarks by 12 May 2015 to Elisa.VARGAS-
Agree to forward this document for endorsement by the Water Directors at their next meeting in Riga on May 2015.
Thank you!