EP Water Group discussed on priorities in the water sector for the Polish presidency

Monday 28^th November MEP Dr Richard Seeber, president of the EP Water Group, hosted the November meeting on the priorities of the Polish Presidency in the water sector. Around 75 participants from European Commission, European and Social Committee and different NGOs and water associations attended the meeting where the keynote speaker was Mrs. Adriana Dembowska, Deputy Director in the National Water Management Authority.

Mrs. Dembowska highlighted the importance of water as link actor in the environmental area; there is no biodiversity without water. She stressed the efforts that as new member Poland has to make to complete the first circle on the implementation of the River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). She mentioned, from the Polish perspectives the lack of in deep analysis in the Fitness Check that the consultancy agency has made for the Commission. Mrs. Dembowska expressed as well the need of improvement of the water management in Europe and sharing this experience in other areas such as development countries and the importance of the cooperation with other areas outside Europe at regional level (i.e. Baltic See catchment area).  She mentioned the importance that water will have next year in 2012 with the debates on sustainability in the frame of the Rio+20 Conference in June, and even before the meeting in March in Marseille on the 6th World Water Forum.

The President of the EP Water Group, Dr Seeber announced, during his welcome speech, that next year in April 2012 the Water Group will hold a meeting on the implementation report on the Blueprint.

Carl-Emil Larsen, president of EUREAU, management body of the EP Water Group addressed the audience highlighting the expectations that EUREAU members are putting on the EC Communication on the Blueprint in 2012 as it will provide with the road-map for long-term actions in the EU Water policy by 2050. Mr. Larsen stressed the challenges on the implementation of the EU water policy, moreover for new member states. He points out the main areas were water has not been paid enough attention: 1) Integrated approach to sustainable management of water; 2) Protection of water resources(within river basins); 3) Effective Control of pollution at source and catchment management (including storm water and flood control measures); 4) Water policy integration into other areas, such as agriculture, energy; 5) A holistic approach to water scarcity, water stress and climate change; 6) Sludge and biowaste should be managed as a resource of nutrients(mainly phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter) and energy; 7) Governance of water administration to be improved – non-technological innovations, new business and management models at river basin, catchment scale or sub-scale. Finally Mr. Larsen highlighted the need of more incentives for to encourage water policy integration.

The debate was followed by a cocktail were attendees could exchange views and network.

The report of the meeting will be soon available on the EP Water Group website. If you want to be informed of the activities of the EP Water Group just get registered on the homepage.