EU water directors meet in Prague to discuss how to improve the state of groundwater and surface water
On 20-22 November 2022, an informal meeting of water directors from EU Member States, representatives of the European Commission, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and candidate countries was held in Prague. The main topic was the Water Framework Directive and its implementation. The aim of the Directive is to ensure that Europe's surface and groundwater is in good condition. The event took place under the Czech Presidency.
"Water Directors discussed the future of water management in Europe. The aim of the Water Framework Directive is to achieve good status of European waters by 2027. The Czech Republic transposed the Water Framework Directive into Czech law through the Water Act of 2001," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Aleš Kendík.
"We also discussed the upcoming amendments to European legislation, in particular the forthcoming revision of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. Of course, adaptation to climate change, coping with climate extremes, is a big topic for the Ministry of the Environment," said Eva Volfová, Deputy Minister of the Environment.
During the meeting, participants heard a presentation of two important legislative proposals of the European Commission on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and the list of priority substances, on which a discussion was held. They were informed about regular reporting in relation to river basin management plans and flood risk management plans. Much emphasis was placed on the impacts of climate change on water management and related adaptation measures, in particular with regard to drought. The Czech Republic prepared a presentation on its good practice in managing drought and increasing the resilience of water management to climate change.
Prior to the actual meeting of the Water Directors, a welcome ceremony was held at the Old Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bubeneč. The meeting of the Water Directors was complemented by a thematic excursion where participants visited the Švihov reservoir, the largest water reservoir in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, the Želivka water treatment plant and the Water House in Hulice.
The informal meeting of the EU Water Directors will be followed a week later by a meeting of the Marine Directors and their joint meeting with the Water Directors, which will take place online on 29 November 2022. Its important point will be the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It aims to ensure that Europe's marine waters also achieve good environmental status. This meeting will be co-hosted by France and Sweden with the Czech EU Presidency.
Vojtěch Bílý
Spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture
Kateřina Filipová
Spokeswoman of the Ministry of the Environment for the Czech Presidency