The EU Water Policy

As water is a precondition for human, animal and plant life, an indispensable resource for the economy and is playing fundamental role in the climate regulation cycle, the European Union has adopted water issues as one of the cornerstones of its environmental policy. The EU highlights the protection of water resources, of fresh and salt water ecosystems and of the drinking and bathing water. Due to many national boundaries in Europe, a concerted action at the level of the European Union is necessary to ensure an effective protection of the water resources.

The EU Water Policy deals with all the main elements of protection of waters, such as river basin management (including groundwater), marine environment, water quantity, water and health and water pollution. More information can be found through the the main entrance to the EU Water Policy website. 

The EU Water Policy consists of several pieces of legislation. The Watersketch Toolbox focuses on the river basin management through the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). All directives, communications and decisions related to the WFD are collected to the legislation library of the Toolbox.