Directive on the Assessment and Management of Flood Risks

The target of the EU Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks (directive 2007/60/EC; Floods Directive - FD) which entered into force on 26 November 2007 is, to reduce and manage negative impacts of floods on human health, the environment, cultural heritage and economic activities.

For international river basin districts (IRBD) such as the Rhine catchment with several member states and also sometimes beyond the boundaries of the European Union a single flood risk management plan is being strived for. The 14th conference of Rhine Ministers charged the ICPR to equally support the co-ordination of the implementation of the Flood Risk Management directive in the Rhine river basin district on the basis of the work done so far. The Action Plan on Floods served as a model when drafting the Floods Directive treating similar issues.

Furthermore, participation of the public has to be undertaken and plans and measures are to be coordinated with the Water framework directive.

The directive includes an approach in three phases:
•    Preliminary flood risk assessment by end 2011 (thereafter, update every 6 years)
•    Maps of flood hazard and flood risk by end 2013 (thereafter, every 6 years)
•    Flood risk management plan by end 2015 (thereafter, every 6 years)