Flood Action Programme
Between 1998 and 2002, Europe suffered over 100 major
damaging floods. Since 1998 floods have caused 700 deaths, displaced
around 500 000 people and cost more than €25 billion in insured
economic losses. Although floods are natural phenomena, human activity
contributes to the increased likelihood and consequences of extreme
events.
As floods have the potential to severely compromise
economic and sustainable development and to undermine the
competitiveness of the European Union, there is a need for concerted
and coordinated action at the European level. The European Commissions
Communication on flood risk management; Flood prevention, protection
and mitigation addresses the risks of flooding, and proposes
to develop and implement a concerted EU Action Programme on flood risk
management.
River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management
Plans are elements of integrated river basin management. Therefore, one
of the main principles of the approach to flood risk management to be
developed is that there is a strong link to the implementation of the
WFD.
The programme includes three distinct, but closely
linked actions:
- Improvements of the exchange of experiences and
knowledge and increasing the awareness;
- Development of a targeted approach to the best use of
funding tools (e.g. Common Agricultural Policy and the Cohesion Policy)
and;
- The development of a proposal for a legal instrument,
a Directive.
Communication on Flood Risk Management
To view the text of the Communication in your language,
available in 11 languages,
click on the relevant link below.
Council Conclusions
Flood protection and the Communication have been
discussed at both the Informal Environment Council on
18 July 2004 and at the Council of the European Union on
14 October 2004. To view the summary of the Informal Environment
Council and Conclusions of the Council.
Summary of the Informal Environment Council
Conclusions of the Council of the European Union
Committee Opinions
The Opinions of the Committee of the Regions and Opinion
of the Economic and Social Committee are also available. To view the
text in your languages, click on the relevant link below.
Opinion of the Committee of the regions
Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee
EU Floods Directive
For the development of the Flood Action Programme the Commission
initiated an Expert Advisory Forum, assembling experts from Member
States, European umbrella organisations, industry, NGOs and the
scientific community involved in major research projects and other
stakeholders. Three meetings of this Expert Advisory Forum during
2005
formed the main phase of the consultation. In addition to these
meetings an internet consultation took place from 20 June to 14
September 2005 to elicit opinions from stakeholders on the principles
and elements being considered for inclusion into a new EU Floods
Directive. Results can be found at the EUROPA
website.
Sources of additional information
Additional information relating to the European Action
Programme on Flood Risk Management can be found on the EUROPA
website
|
