Directive to fight floods
On 23 October 2007, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks (text available in several languages) to help member states prevent and limit floods, and to address their damaging effects on human health, the environment, infrastructure and property.
The new directive requires member states to carry out preliminary assessments to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas at risk of flooding. Such zones will then be subject to flood risk maps and flood risk management plans, focussing on prevention, protection and preparedness.
Commissioner for the environment Stavros Dimas said: “Catastrophic floods endanger lives and are likely to cause human tragedy as well as heavy economic losses. This new directive will help member states chose the right tools with which to reduce the likelihood of floods and limit their impacts. In particular, it aims to ensure that member states cooperate in shared river basins and coastal areas to improve flood protection all over Europe.”
Since 1998 floods in Europe have caused some 700 deaths, the displacement of about half a million people and at least €25 billion in insured economic losses.
Flood protection: the consultation process on EU action programme
The European Commission sought the views of citizens and organisations in Europe on EU action to reduce the risk of floods to people, property and the environment.
On 20 July 2005, an internet consultation ran for eight weeks on the subject mentioned above.
The results fed into a Proposal for a Floods Directive adopted on 18 January 2006 by the Commission (text available in several languages), which is one of the components of an action programme on flood risk management that the Commission is preparing. It is foreseen that the action programme will also comprise actions to improve the exchange of information and knowledge, and targeted use of EU funding.
