Environment

The European Council and Parliament reached agreement in April on a proposal for a Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks. This Directive was proposed by the European Commission in 2006 in an effort to prevent and limit floods and their damaging effects on human health, the environment, infrastructure and property. The new Directive requires European Member States to identify river basins and associated coastal areas that are subject to flood risk before drawing up flood risk maps and management plans. This legislation also contributes to the EU’s requirement to adapt to climate change, in reducing the potential for increasingly extreme weather to lead to flooding. Governments will have to take a long term planning approach to avoiding flooding and associated adverse economic effects. Flood risks will be reduced in three stages.

The flood risk management plans will include measures to reduce the probability of flooding and its potential consequences. Preventative measures will include avoiding the construction of houses and industries in flood-prone areas. Protection measures will involve restoring flood plains and wetlands. Governments will also have to prepare plans, for example providing instructions to the public on what to do in the event of flooding.

Risk assessments, maps and plans must be made available to the public and the process will be repeated on a six year cycle to ensure long term developments are taken into account.

The Directive forms the legal component of the European Flood Action Programme and is closely linked to the objectives of the 2000 Water Framework Directive, the cornerstone of EU water protection policy. Further details about the directive on flood protection and management are available on the European Commission Environment and flood risk web page .