Quel rôle pour l'économie dans la Directive Cadre sur l'Eau ? un processus, une approche, des outils, un guide

Which role for economics in Water Framework Directive? A process, a three-step approach, tools and a guidance document

¹ Agence de l'Eau Artois-Picardie, 200 rue Marceline, 59508 Douai, France - Tél. : +33 3 27 99 90 00 Fax. : +33 3 27 99 90 15
² DG Environnement, Commission Européenne
³ Agence de l'Eau Seine-Normandie
⁴ Ministère de l'Ecologie et du Développement Durable
⁵ Bureau de Recherche Géologique et Minière
⁶ Ministère de l'Agriculture et de la Pêche

Abstract

This article focuses on the role of economics in the Water Framework Directive that has been recently adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. The paper starts with a description of the common strategy developed by the Member States of the European Union and the Commission for supporting the implementation of this Directive. A specific emphasis has been given in this common strategy to develop a common approach for implementing the economic elements of the Directive. The paper then summarises the economic elements of the Directive and proposes a coherent three-step approach for integrating economics into the development of river basin management plans. Key principles for ensuring the economic analysis plays an effective role in the development of these plans are highlighted. The paper concludes with identifying economic issues where efforts are still required for making economic methodologies and tools operational to ensure the economic analysis delivers robust and pertinent results for the river basin management plans to be developed by 2009.