1. 2012 Blueprint to safeguard Europe’s waters State of play November 2011
Jacques Delsalle, DG Environment, Unit D.1
SCG Meeting, Brussels, 8/11/2011

2. What is the Blueprint? Objective:
A policy response to current and future water challenges at European level
to address the implementation issues related to the current EU policy framework with a focus on water quality
to develop measures to tackle in particular water availability and water quantity problems
The Blueprint will:
Look into gaps and shortcomings of the current policy and ways to address them
Look at the evolving vulnerability of the water environment to identify measures and tools in several EU policy areas
Examine the balance between water demand and supply, taking into account the needs of both human activities and natural ecosystems
Explain how the Blueprint objective should be supported by data collection, scientific and technological development
Objective:
to ensure sufficient supply of good quality water for sustainable and equitable water use

3. Synthesis of policy recommendations building on on-going assessments
I m p a c t A s s e s s m e n t
« Fitness Check»
EU water
policy
instruments
Outlook of sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources
Policy
Options
for action
at EU level
Nov 2012
Blueprint To
Safeguard
EU Waters
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management
Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts
Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation

4. Synthesis of policy recommendations building on on-going assessments
Better Implementation
Better integration
Completion
« Fitness Check»
EU water
policy
instruments
Outlook of sustainability and vulnerability of EU water resources
Impact Assessment
Policy
Options
Nov 2012
Blueprint To
Safeguard
EU Waters
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management
Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Report on 2009
River Basin
Management Plans
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts
Strategy
Review
Water Scarcity
& Droughts Strategy
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation
Climate Change
Vulnerability
& Adaptation

5. State of play Fitness Check
Scenarios and targets for the protection of water resources
Policy Options for action at EU level
Communication & Stakeholder and Public Consultation

6. “Fitness Test” EU Water policy framework
Part of European Commission Smart Regulation policy
identify excessive burdens, overlaps, gaps, inconsistencies and/or obsolete measures which may have appeared over time
Objective:
Assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness and efficiency of the EU freshwater policy.
Scope: Water Framework, Groundwater, Priority Substance, Floods, Urban Waste Water and Nitrates Directives + Water Scarcity & Droughts policy
Preliminary findings

7. Next steps 12-weeks public consultation starting soon…
Welcoming specific comments from Member States and SCG stakeholders on preliminary findings
Stakeholder workshop in January 2012.
The Commission will publish a final report, early 2012.

8. Impact Assessment Framework
EU policy instruments
Key environmental & social variables affecting water resources
sensitivity of water resources to changes in key variables
Adaptation & mitigation actions B
Instrument portfolio
Implementation issues
Knowledge base
Funding
Climate change & variability
Human population & irrigation
requirements
Landscape changes
Industrial and energy emissions
Current
measures
Costs
Effectiveness
Co-benefits
Measures in the pipeline (RBMP)
Integration
Critical success factors
Additional measures required A
The Blueprint impact assessment identify the broad range of pressures on water resources:
Organic/Nutrient pollution, dangerous substances
Hydromorphology/ Sediments
Disruption water cycle, droughts, floods
Over-exploitation water resources
It will build on the EEA State Of the Environment Report (SOER 2010), complemented by the EEA « State of Water » report to be published at the same time as the Blueprint
Cross-sectoral / cross-policies assessment (drivers, responses)
Common baseline, medium ( ) and long-term (2050) scenarios, sensitivity analysis.
Problem description
Identification of the key challenges
Which measures are needed as a priority
Analysis of the need to act at EU level: policy options
Objectives
General: A water (and resources) efficient society (link to Europe 2020)
Specific: Indicative targets at EU level on natural water retention, water savings, water reuse/recycling, water quality
Operational: link to policy options

9. Scenarios and targets for the protection of water resources
Water resource balances (quantity, quality) for relevant European river basins - SEEAW framework - monthly resolution - ECRINS reference system
Disaggregated information on the use of water for the base year by the different economic activities, including estimates on its environmental impact.
optimisation model, maximization of net social benefits from the use of water by economic sectors
baseline scenario / sensitivity analysis
Selection of measures
Blueprint Specific Objectives
indicative targets at EU level for reducing the vulnerability of water resources
Information on technical, non technical or structural measures affecting water availability and water use by the different economic activities, including estimates on their environmental impact.
natural water retention,
water savings,
reuse/recycling
water quality
Environmental,
Social,
Economic
constraints
Scenarios for land-use changes, hydrological parameters and use of water by the different economic activities
Water resource balances (quantity, quality) for relevant European river basins within the SEEAW framework at the monthly resolution under ECRINS reference system (as a result of a parallel call for tender [1])
Disaggregated information on the use of water for the base year by the different economic activities, including estimates on the impact on ecological and chemical status, as well as energy consumption, pollutant and greenhouse gases emissions.
Information on technical, non technical or structural measures affecting water availability and water use by the different economic activities, including estimates on the impact on biological, chemical and morphological status, as well as energy consumption, pollutant and greenhouse gases emissions.
Scenarios for land-use changes, hydrological parameters and use of water by the different economic activities (produced by the JRC Land Use Modelling Platform: EU Clue Scanner / LISFLOOD) including the issues of structural changes in Member States e.g. in the structure and location of population and economic activity.
[1] See information on on-going contracts and calls for tender supporting the Blueprint on

10. Scenarios and Targets: next steps
Contract starting this week
Managed by JRC/IES
Stakeholder meetings to be organised in Brussels to discuss and obtain feedback on the approach and the first results with focus on socio-economic assessment and prioritization of measures.
We would welcome contribution from similar or complementary experiences at national or sectoral level
State of play to be presented also at next SCG meeting
Meetings would take place in:
December 2011 (overall concept),
March 2012 (application in pilot basins)
June 2012 (draft EU indicative targets)
September 2012 (revised targets).

11. Policy Options Philosophy of intervention Type of Governance
Land-use
change
Behaviour
Change
Setting
limits
Governance
Funding Instruments
Type of
EU Instrument
Soft Instruments
Regulation
Area
of intervention
Knowledge
Innovation

12. Policy options : next steps
Contract (« Lot B ») started in September 2012
Consortium led by IEEP
Discussion paper to be made available end-November
Discussion at WD meeting
Feedback from SCG Stakeholders
« Problem description » step of the Impact Assessment to be completed in January 2012
Public Consultation starting in March 2012
Discussion at 3rd EU Water Conference (24-25 May 2012) 12

13. Thank you for your attention!
More information: