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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. New and Scheduled Interventions for the WFD Implementation

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

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

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

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