Indicators on water availability and abstraction

In recent years, a growing concern has been expressed throughout the EU regarding water scarcity and drought (WS&D) events. The informal council of Environment Ministers discussed water scarcity and drought end August 2007 and the European Parliament had a public hearing on WS&D in April 2008. The assessment confirmed by the council conclusions also noted high data gaps and data uncertainty in estimating water availability, and water abstraction. Indeed, the Water Frame Directive allows valuable reporting on water quality issues but not on quantity and abstraction. In order to agree on reliable data and indicators related to WS&D, experts from EU member states are working together with the European Environment Agency, EuroStat and the DG Environment of the European Commission. A preliminary indicator framework for WS&D has been defined and an EU test on water quantity reporting has been carried out and discussed. The full framework is expected for late 2008. To get additional input in particular from non EU Mediterranean countries, the work in progress at EU level on the indicator framework could be presented at a meeting of the Med working group on WS&D. To complete this process, EMWIS will prepare an analysis of data availability in non EU Mediterranean countries.