Annexes to COM(2004)472 - Flood risk management - Flood prevention, protection and mitigation - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2004)472 - Flood risk management - Flood prevention, protection and mitigation. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2004)472  |
| date | July 12, 2004 |
The Commission will facilitate co-ordination and information exchange on flood protection and the promotion of best practice. The Commission will also ensure that all relevant EU policies contribute, where appropriate, to flood protection. Under the Framework Programmes for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration, the Commission will carry out direct and indirect research on flood related issues.
The Member States and the Commission together, will, in the context of the regular meetings of the water directors and the representatives of the Commission, be responsible for the overall co-ordination of the action programme.
Other stakeholders will be fully involved in the development and implementation of the flood risk management plans and any technical discussion organized by the Commission.
4.3. The costs and the expected benefits of concerted EU action
It is difficult to quantify in monetary terms the added value/additional benefits of the concerted actions proposed in this Communication. In qualitative terms the added value of EU action will include:
a) more cost-effective and sustainable flood risk management measures through better co-ordination of actions across the EU;
b) a comprehensive approach to reducing the risks to Europe's sustainable development associated with flood damage;
c) improved levels of protection resulting from sharing of experiences and information and the joint development of best practice;
d) a better focusing of research actions and a stronger interface between the research community and policy makers;
e) a coherent approach towards the development of flood risk management plans and their linkages to EU funding programmes;
f) a greater awareness and involvement of the public in flood protection issues.
5. Conclusion
The Commission invites the Member States to:
a) support the assessment made by the Commission concerning the importance of flood protection;
b) take note of the actions ongoing, or planned, at EU, national, regional and international level;
c) support the need for a concerted EU action on flood prevention, protection and mitigation;
d) endorse the essential features of the concerted EU action as presented by the Commission and to agree on the steps which should be taken to develop and implement such a concerted action.
Annex
Guidelines for the development and implementation of flood risk management plans and flood risk maps
A. PRINCIPLES
1. The flood risk management plans should be developed on the basis of the following general principles:
a) Transboundary rivers: Member States should agree to co-operate in the development and implementation of these plans. For river basins shared with non-EU countries existing co-ordination mechanisms will be used or new ones will be developed,
b) Flood risk management plans: for rivers, to be fully integrated with the river basin management plans and programmes of measures developed in accordance with the Water Framework Directive. Coastal flood risk management plans should be developed within the same time frame,
c) Long term strategic approach: developments need to be included which are expected in the long term (50 - 100 years),
d) Interdisciplinary approach: all relevant aspects of water management, physical planning, land use, agriculture, transport and urban development, nature conservation need to be considered at all levels (national, regional and local),
e) Solidarity principle: flood protection measures should not compromise the ability of other, upstream or downstream regions/Member States to achieve the level of protection the regions/Member States themselves consider to be appropriate. The appropriate strategy consists of a three-step approach: retaining, storing and draining,
f) All elements of flood risk management need to be covered: see section 2.2.
B. OBJECTIVES
1. The overall objectives of flood risk management plans will be:
- To reduce the adverse impact of floods and the likelihood of floods,
- To promote sustainable flood risk management measures,
- To look for opportunities to work with natural processes and to deliver -if possible- multiple benefits from flood risk management,
- To inform the public and competent authorities about the flood risk and how to deal with it.
C. KEY OUTPUTS
1. The key outputs from a flood risk management plan should be:
- Insight into and understanding of the size, the nature and the distribution of current flood risks, and scenarios for future flood risks,
- Understanding of flooding processes and its sensitivity to change,
- List of cost-effective flood risk management measures which will be taken,
- Flood Risk Maps (see section D)
- Long-term flood risk management policies that satisfy the objectives of the river basin,
- A prioritised set of further actions/studies for the river basin if appropriate.
D. FLOOD RISK MAPS
1. One of the key outputs of the flood risk management plans will be flood risk maps at river basin level.
2. The purpose of a flood risk map is to:
- increase public awareness of the areas at risk of flooding,
- provide information of areas at risk by defining flood risk zones to give input to spatial planning,
- support the processes of prioritising, justifying and targeting investments in order to manage and reduce the risk to people, property and the environment.
3. Flood risk maps should:
- Be developed through co-ordination at river basin level,
- Include both fluvial and flash floods and if appropriate coastal floods,
- Provide reliable, sufficient and easily understandable information,
- As a minimum distinguish three levels of risk:
A. Areas with frequently occurring flood events,
B. Areas with less frequently occurring flood events,
C. Very rare flood events, including where appropriate dyke failures,
- Address both the water/flood depth and the potential damage,
- Address both the current situation and scenarios for future flood risks, and
- Take other objectives in the river basin into account.