Abstract conclusions of Euromed Water Directors conclusions - Bled Dec'07

Related to EMWIS and the Mediterranean Water Observation Mecanism
Full version of the conlclusions - EMWIS session presentations (see item 5)

Released	14/01/2008

14. The Recent Development on Information Systems on Water in the Mediterranean underlines the strategic importance of sharing knowledge and information for improving IWRM at the local level and cooperation around common goals.

14.1. The Water Directors acknowledge the results achieved so far by EMWIS and its National Focal Points to facilitate the exchange of know-how between the Euro-Med countries. They reiterate their willingness to fully implement as soon as possible the 4 year EMWIS action plan approved in Rome in 2005, including the networking of the MEDA-Water community and the dissemination of the technical and managerial knowledge developed by this community.

14.2. The Water Directors welcome the results of the feasibility study on a Mediterranean water observatory mechanism, specially its role of facilitating and streamlining data collection processes, its emphasis to support National Water Information Systems. In this context, they discussed the proposal of EMWIS Steering Committee to extend its activities from know-how to numerical water data with the voluntary participation of all relevant national and regional organisms.

14.3. They particularly recognised the synergy developed with the European Environment Agency (EEA) for interfacing EMWIS with the Water Information System of Europe-WISE.

14.4. They recommend further developments and reinforcement of Water Information Systems in the Mediterranean and Southeastern European countries to be included as an appropriate component for a potential future water strategy for the Mediterranean to be decided by the special ad hoc Ministerial Conference in 2008.