EU Commission Calls for Better Protection Against Flooding

In its package on the water situation in the EU, presented in Brussels on Tuesday, the EU Commission also calls on Austria, among others, to accelerate the restoration of bodies of water and to improve flood management.

EU Commission Appeals for Better Flood Management

The responsible EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall presented the reports on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Flood Directive, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive at a press conference in Brussels. Only about 40 percent of the waters in the EU are in a good ecological state and only 26.8 percent in a good chemical state. This is mainly due to widespread contamination by mercury and other toxic pollutants. The Commission therefore calls on EU countries to better comply with EU water laws and to promote the reuse of water.

In view of the more frequent and severe floods in Europe, the Commission appeals to the member states to expand their planning and administrative capacities and to invest sufficiently in flood prevention. While it sees "clear improvements in flood risk management", the national plans presented by the EU states often lack concrete quantitative goals.

Austria's Flood Plan Needs to Be More Concrete, According to the EU Commission

Austria is also called upon in the country report to make the objectives of the national plan more concrete, to link them with quantitative indicators if possible, and to limit them in time. Progress in achieving the objectives should be evaluated. The flow rate of the relevant water flow and flood discharge routes should be better taken into account, as these are relevant for emergency measures, Brussels warns.

Austria should also increase and accelerate its measures to restore a good ecological and chemical state of all rivers and lakes, according to the corresponding report. "Diffuse pollutant loads from agriculture" in the waters must be better assessed and directly mitigated with measures in the management plans. Domestic regulations for the removal of barriers that are no longer needed to allow free water flow in rivers and streams must also be implemented.

"Our waters face major challenges, from pollution and threats to the water supply to inadequate flood prevention. We need to step up our efforts to strengthen water resilience. A clean and reliable water supply is crucial for citizens, for our environment, and for the success of businesses," explained Environment Commissioner Roswall. She plans to present a comprehensive water resilience strategy in 2025.

(APA/Red)

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