Issued in 2000, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) established the EU wide
framework for water management, incorporating tools to achieve ‘good status’ of
all European waters (European Community 2000). The quantitative water issues
with regards to water scarcity and droughts were identified as a gap in the implementation of the WFD, which influence the achievement of the environmental
objectives, and therefore the good status of waters. The occurrence of major
drought events during this period (in particular in 2003) further increased these
concerns. They were captured by the EU Water Directors during the informal
meeting in Rome in 2003, where the development of an initiative on water scarcity
issues was agreed upon, and a technical document on drought management and
long-term imbalances was consequently prepared and presented to the Water
Directors Meeting in 2006. The document showed that these phenomena have been
increasing in intensity and extent at European level in the last decades, with
worsening socio-economic and environmental impacts. Therefore, in the same year
(2006), some member states requested European action on water scarcity and
drought events at the Environment Council, raising concerns on the need for further
development at political and technical levels to address the environmental, social
and economic impacts of water scarcity and drought (WS&D) (Informal Council of
Environment Ministers 2007). In response the Environmental Council requested for
actions on this issue in 2006 and within the Common Implementation Strategy
(CIS) of the WFD, the European Commission has conducted several analyses of
WS&D in the EU (i.e. (European Commission—DG ENV 2007). This assessment
showed that water scarcity and drought events affect all EU countries in a variety of
ways (Informal Council of Environment Ministers 2007) and now have an added
European dimension, as drought and water scarcity is no longer exclusive to
southern European countries (Portuguese Ministry of Environment, Spatial
Planning and Regional Development 2007). This shift provided the basis for
establishing a common approach at European Union level. The EU Presidency of
Portugal (2007) placed water scarcity and droughts as one of its main environmental policy priorities. It welcomed the Communication 414 final (European
Commission 2007b) on ‘Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in
the European Union’ and succeeded in making WS&D an active environmental
policy area with specific instruments and strategies (Portuguese Ministry of
Environment, Spatial Planning and Regional Development 2007). The Communication
summarized the main trends and concerns and identified a series of actions to be taken
at EU and national level, giving priority to water savings and water efficiency measures,
and further integrating water issues into all cross-cutting policies. It also emphasized the
importance of taking stock of climate change and adaptation policy areas, such as
agriculture (Farmer et al. 2008; European Environmental Agency 2010).
The Environment Council was supportive of the Communication and invited the
Commission to review and further develop the evolving EU strategy for WS&D by
2 European Drought and Water Scarcity Policies
19
framework for water management, incorporating tools to achieve ‘good status’ of
all European waters (European Community 2000). The quantitative water issues
with regards to water scarcity and droughts were identified as a gap in the implementation of the WFD, which influence the achievement of the environmental
objectives, and therefore the good status of waters. The occurrence of major
drought events during this period (in particular in 2003) further increased these
concerns. They were captured by the EU Water Directors during the informal
meeting in Rome in 2003, where the development of an initiative on water scarcity
issues was agreed upon, and a technical document on drought management and
long-term imbalances was consequently prepared and presented to the Water
Directors Meeting in 2006. The document showed that these phenomena have been
increasing in intensity and extent at European level in the last decades, with
worsening socio-economic and environmental impacts. Therefore, in the same year
(2006), some member states requested European action on water scarcity and
drought events at the Environment Council, raising concerns on the need for further
development at political and technical levels to address the environmental, social
and economic impacts of water scarcity and drought (WS&D) (Informal Council of
Environment Ministers 2007). In response the Environmental Council requested for
actions on this issue in 2006 and within the Common Implementation Strategy
(CIS) of the WFD, the European Commission has conducted several analyses of
WS&D in the EU (i.e. (European Commission—DG ENV 2007). This assessment
showed that water scarcity and drought events affect all EU countries in a variety of
ways (Informal Council of Environment Ministers 2007) and now have an added
European dimension, as drought and water scarcity is no longer exclusive to
southern European countries (Portuguese Ministry of Environment, Spatial
Planning and Regional Development 2007). This shift provided the basis for
establishing a common approach at European Union level. The EU Presidency of
Portugal (2007) placed water scarcity and droughts as one of its main environmental policy priorities. It welcomed the Communication 414 final (European
Commission 2007b) on ‘Addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in
the European Union’ and succeeded in making WS&D an active environmental
policy area with specific instruments and strategies (Portuguese Ministry of
Environment, Spatial Planning and Regional Development 2007). The Communication
summarized the main trends and concerns and identified a series of actions to be taken
at EU and national level, giving priority to water savings and water efficiency measures,
and further integrating water issues into all cross-cutting policies. It also emphasized the
importance of taking stock of climate change and adaptation policy areas, such as
agriculture (Farmer et al. 2008; European Environmental Agency 2010).
The Environment Council was supportive of the Communication and invited the
Commission to review and further develop the evolving EU strategy for WS&D by
2 European Drought and Water Scarcity Policies
19