Access to documents regarding reports submitted by Belgium in the framework of Directive 2000/60/EC
Dear Environment,
Dear Madam, Sir,
I would like to request access to documents regarding reports submitted by Belgium in the framework of Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (the “Water Framework Directive”).
Article 5 of the Water Framework Directive imposes on Member States to ensure that for each river basin district :
- an analysis of its characteristics,
- a review of the environmental impact of human activity on the status of surface waters and groundwater, and
- an economic analysis of water use
is undertaken and completed at the latest four years after the date of entry into force of the Directive. The analyses and reviews shall be reviewed, and if necessary updated at the latest 13 years after the date of entry into force of the Directive.
Article 15 of the Water Framework Directive imposes an obligation of reporting on Member States. According to Article 15(2), Member States shall submit summary reports of the analyses required under Article 5 within three months of their completion.
Article 7 of the Water Framework Directive imposes on Member States to identify, within each river basin district :
- all bodies of water used for the abstraction of water intended for human consumption providing more than 10 m3 a day as an average or serving more than 50 persons, and
- those bodies of water intended for such future use.
Member States shall ensure the necessary protection for the bodies of water identified with the aim of avoiding deterioration in their quality in order to reduce the level of purification treatment required in the production of drinking water. This obligation concerns surface waters as well as ground water.
The identification provided for in Article 7 of the Water Framework Directive is necessarily included in the analyses and reviews referred to in Article 5 of the Directive, particularly those aiming at reviewing the impact of human activity on the status of surface waters and on groundwater.
Article 11 of the Water Framework Directive provides that Member States shall ensure the establishment of a programme of measures, taking account of the results of the analyses required under Article 5, in order to achieve the objectives established under Article 4. The programme of measures shall include basic measures, notably “controls over the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater, including a register or registers of water abstractions and a requirement of prior authorization for abstraction and impoundment”.
Article 15(3) of the Water Framework Directive imposes on Member States to submit an interim report describing progress in the implementation of the planned programme of measures within three years of the publication of each river basin management plan or update.
Therefore, in accordance with Regulation 1049/2001 and Regulation 1367/2006, I would like to request access to :
- the summary reports of the analyses required under Article 5 of the Water Framework Directive, submitted by Belgium (if possible, precisely those concerning the Walloon Region) in accordance with Article 15(2) of the Directive, as well as all relevant supporting documents. In particular, all relevant documents with regard to the identification of water used for the abstraction of water intended for human consumption providing more than 10 m3 a day as an average or serving more than 50 persons, as provided for in Article 7 of Directive 2000/60/EC.
- the interim report submitted by Belgium in accordance with Article 15(3) concerning the implementation of the planned programme of measures, as well as all relevant supporting documents relating to controls over the abstraction of fresh surface water and groundwater.
Yours faithfully,
Equal Partners
Dear Mr. Depré,
Thank you for your request for access to documents.
Unfortunately you have not indicated your postal address that is required
for registering and handling your request in line with the procedural
requirements. Please send us your full postal address at your earliest
convenience. Pending your reply, we reserve the right to refuse the
registration of your request.
You may, of course, use directly the electronic form for entering your
request:
[1]http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/...
Best regards,
ELC
DG ENVIRONMENT
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS TEAM
[2]cid:image001.gif@01D0EB13.FFE86270
European Commission
DG Environment
Directorate E-Implementation & Support to Member States
Unit E4 - Compliance & Better Regulation
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
Website: [3]http://ec.europa.eu/environment
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Dear DG Environment,
Thank you for your reply. Here is my full postal address :
Luc Depré (Equal Partners)
18, Place Flagey, 5e étage
1050 Ixelles
Yours faithfully,
Luc Depré
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your e-mail dated 09/11/2018. We hereby acknowledge receipt
of your application for access to documents, which was registered on
14/12/2018 under reference number GestDem 2018/6766.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, your application
will be handled within 15 working days. The time limit will expire on
16/01/2019. In case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be
informed in due course.
Yours faithfully,
ENV ACCESS DOCUMENTS TEAM
DG ENVIRONMENT
Dear Sir,
We refer to your e-mail dated 09/11/2018 in which you make a request for
access to documents, registered on 14/12/2018 under the above-mentioned
reference number.
The requested information concerns:
* the summary reports of the analyses required under Art 5 of the Water
Framework Directive submitted by Belgium and relevant supporting
documents;
* the interim report submitted by Belgium in accordance with Art 15(3)
concerning the implementation of the planned programme of measures.
The summary reports of analyses under Art 5 are part of the River Basin
Management Plans, which are available at the following web addresses,
together with the relevant supporting documents:
[1]http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/be/eu/wfd201...
[2]http://eau.wallonie.be/spip.php?rubrique71
These sites will also host the interim reports, which were due by
22/12/2018.
We would remind you that documents cannot be reproduced or disseminated
for commercial purposes unless the originator has first been consulted.
Yours faithfully,
THE ENV WATER TEAM
(on behalf of Bettina Doeser, Head of Unit C1)
European Commission
DG Environment
Unit C1 – Clean Water
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
Website: [3]http://ec.europa.eu/environment
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References
Visible links
1. http://cdr.eionet.europa.eu/be/eu/wfd201...
2. http://eau.wallonie.be/spip.php?rubrique71
3. http://ec.europa.eu/environment
4. https://www.facebook.com/EUEnvironment
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