Abstract conclusions of Euromed Water Directors conclusions - Athens Nov'06

Related to EMWIS and the Mediterranean Water Information Partnership
Full version of the conlclusions - EMWIS session presentations

Released	26/01/2007

Euro-Mediterranean Information System on Know-How in the Water Sector (EMWIS)

6. At the Rome Water Directors Conference (November 2005) the key role of information systems on water, aquatic environments and their use was highlighted for better governance and integrated water resources management. EMWIS was mandated to “study, with interested countries, the objectives and the feasibility of building up within EMWIS a regional water observation mechanism to monitor the indicators towards the achievements of MDG-7 on WSS in the Mediterranean as well as the implementation of the water related section of the MSSD, based on the information provided by the National Water Information Systems (NWIS), whenever they exist”.

6.1. EMWIS has made a major contribution to the improvement of NWIS in several countries of the region. A year after their Conference in Rome, the Water Directors underline their decision to implement as soon as possible the new EMWIS Action Plan 2007-2010 and reiterate the request for co-funding from the EC for NWIS and also for regional activities, jointly with the EU countries funding the EMWIS Technical Unit and the Mediterranean partner countries.

6.2. The Water Directors welcome the synergy developed between EMWIS and the MED EUWI / WFD Joint Process working groups. They also took note of the intention of EMWIS to lead a working group on ‘Water Monitoring’ with interested countries within the MED EUWI / WFD Joint Process.

6.3. The Water Directors welcome the synergy developed between the European Environment Agency (EEA) together with EMWIS and MED POL for the monitoring of the Horizon 2020 Initiative.

6.4. The Water Directors welcome the progress achieved so far within the carrying out of the Study related to the observation mechanism and anticipate with great interest the results and outcomes of the 2nd phase of the activity with a more active involvement of interested countries. They recommend that this 2nd phase allow further analysis and first tests of the proposed regional water information partnership with linkages with related regional initiatives.