European Water Conference

The European Water Conference 2007 will have its opening day during World Water Day 2007. It is an international gathering which will focus on the following:

Themes:

• Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
• Launching of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE)
• Ongoing debates on other water policy areas, including the Marine Thematic Strategy, the Flood Action Programme, the groundwater and surface water priority substances.
• Future challenges including water scarcity, droughts and climate change.

Target Groups:

• EU policy makers
• Water administrators from Member States and other countries with whom the EU shares river basins and seas
• Interested public including business, non-government and civil society organisations
• International organisations working on water policy
• Water experts and researchers interested in water policy

Tentative Conference Programme:

Day 1
• High level opening session with Commissioner Dimas and representatives of the EU Presidency, European Parliament and other EU bodies
• Panel discussion with stakeholders, interest groups and NGOs
Day 2
• Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (including Member States performance and key issues)
• Water policies in discussion (including marine and floods)
• Emerging water policy issues (including water scarcity and climate change)

On the conference, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will present the first implementation report for the Water Framework Directive. On the same day, the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) will be launched. Registration for the conference is now open and can be done electronically.

WISE will then be available through the new web page “http://water.europa.eu” which will allow you access to a wide variety of water-related services and data provided by the EU institutions.

Note that the conference will start on 22 March at 10:00 h. Registration is possible an hour before the start. Here is more information on the conference:

• Preliminary Conference Programme (pdf, 1,61 MB)
• Conference leaflet (pdf, 719 KB)
• How to get there (342 KB)

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