Conference of the Water Directors of the Euro - Mediterranean and Southeastern European Countries

Athens, 06 - 07 November 2006

The Conference took place in Athens, organized by Greece (Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works and Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs), in cooperation with the European Commission, the 'Euro-Mediterranean Information System on Know-How in the Water Sector' (EMWIS) and the 'Regional Monitoring and Support Unit' (RMSU) of the MEDA-Water Programme of the EC. The Conference was technically supported by the MED EUWI Secretariat, facilitated by the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean. The Conference reviewed and discussed priority issues of the Mediterranean water agenda, with an emphasis on the recent developments. Horizon 2020 initiative was particularly welcomed as an action-oriented process to address key pollution challenges in the countries of the region. The Water Directors:

Suggest that the ‘Horizon 2020’ initiative should be open to accommodate input from the implementation of the future EU Marine Strategy.
Wish synergies to be enhanced between the ‘Horizon 2020’ Initiative and other parallel regional processes, including the ENPI, the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols especially the LBS Protocol and the MED EUWI. In particular, operational links should be promoted between the Horizon 2020 ‘Urban wastewater treatment’ component (under the pillar of ‘Infrastructure development’) with the MED EUWI ‘Water Supply and Sanitation’ theme. In a similar manner, operational links should be promoted between MED EUWI with the Horizon 2020 pillars on ‘Research’ and ‘Capacity Building’.
Recognize the role of the Euro-Mediterranean Water Directors Forum as a possible interface between wider environmental objectives and targeted water / urban waste water issues and recommend related modalities to be explored at the national level.
Request these conclusions of the Athens Water Directors Conference to be taken into consideration in the Ministerial Declaration on Horizon 2020, to be adopted on 20 November, in Cairo.

For details visit the EUWI site (http://www.minenv.gr/medeuwi/) hosted by the Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning & Public Works.