Chairperson, Ministers, Commission's representatives and Distinguished Participants,

Introduction : Barcelona Process

I am pleased, on behalf of the Irish Presidency, to express the political solidarity of the wider European Union with this important Euro-Mediteranean initiative taken by the French Government within the framework of the Barcelona Process on the theme of local water management.

The Irish Presidency attaches particular importance to the achievement of progress in the European Union's relations with its Mediterranean partners. The Mediterranean region is an area of strategic importance for Europe and the European Union has a key role to play in supporting the Mediterranean countries to transform progressively their region into a zone of peace, stability and prosperity.

The Declaration adopted at Barcelona in November 1995 established a comprehensive partnership between the Member States of the European Union and the twelve Mediterranean partners - the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - through strengthened and regular political dialogue, the development of economic and financial cooperation and greater emphasis on the social, cultural and human dimension.

We are within a few days of the first anniversary of the signing of the Barcelona Declaration and the Presidency is pleased to note the considerable progress made in the interim in implementing both the Declaration and its accompanying Work Programme. It is to be hoped that this work will continue in the positive spirit which has characterised it up to now.

The Euro-Mediteranean Committee for the Barcelona Process has played an important role in taking stock and evaluating the follow-up to the Barcelona Process and all its components. In particular, it has updated on a regular basis the list of priority actions covering all three areas of the partnership.

Positive results have also been achieved in relation to the political and security partnership. A draft action plan has been formulated which outlines initiatives in a number of areas, particular, the enhancement of stability and the reinforcement of democratic institutions, confidence and security building measures, human rights and the fight against organised crime and other security threats. The Presidency is particularly pleased to welcome the positive and constructive contributions made by Mediterranean partners to discuss on these issues.

Under the partnership in social, cultural and human affairs, activities to date have paved the way for the implementation of programmes of common interest to increase contacts at grass roots level.

An important and very successful initiative was the Experts Meeting on Cultural Heritage held in September which has led to the development of a series of joint projects in these areas.

As regards the economic and financial partnership, the Presidency is pleased to note the progress achieved towards the objective, as agreed in Barcelona, of establishing an area of shared prosperity. The meeting of Industry Ministers which took place earlier this year was an important contribution to the process of sustainable and balanced economic development. The positive results of this initiative will be complemented by a Conference on Private Investment, which will take place in London early next year.

The multilateral aspects of the follow-up to Barcelona are complementary to the European Union's bilateral activities with its Mediterranean partners, principally the negotiation of the new Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreements, and the implementation of bilateral programmes of financial cooperation. The adoption on 23 July of the Meda Regulation - the financial instrument for economic cooperation with the Mediterranean partners - represents a significant step forward in the development of Euro-Mediterranean relations and a major achievement for the Irish Presidency. The way is now clear for the release of funds from the 3.258 Billion ECU allocated for financial assistance for Mediterranean third countries. The funding of indicative projects throughout the Mediterranean recipient countries represents a practical indication of the European Union's commitment to the achievement of the shared objectives contained in the Barcelona Declaration.

Water : A Precious Resource

Coming to the theme of today's Conference, it is appropriate to recall that the Barcelona Declaration and the Mediterranean Water Charter adopted in Rome in 1992 acknowledge that water is a priority issue for all Mediterranean partners and will increase in importance as water scarcity becomes more pressing.

Water is essential for sustaining life in all its forms ; it dominates the earth's surface, exceeding the land area by a ratio of more than 2 to 1. Some 94% of this water is found in the oceans, while almost 6% is located underground and in glaciers. Globally, rivers, lakes, soil moisture and atmospheric vapour constitute the major source of drinking water but these sources combined account for only one quarter of one percent of the total water volume.

The availability of water supplies of good quality has since ancient times influenced the development and spread of civilisation. Settlements were established along river valleys or on the coast in the vicinity of estuaries. Rivers satisfied the basic need for drinking water, offered a food supply in the form of the fish stocks they supported and afforded 'highways' by which to navigate into and explore inland territories. With the passage of time, water resources came to be harnessed to turn mill wheels, and more recently, to generate electricity. The dawning of the industrial age brought increased demands for water and new threats to its ability to cater for other uses due to the practice of treating water as a receptacle for the disposal of wastes.

Today, we must contend with unprecedented demands on water resources because of the intensification of agriculture and the role of irrigation in crop production, the global growth in population, as well as the trend towards urbanisation. Heightened expectations in relation to living standards, sanitation and health conditions, as well as the quality and security of supplies are also contributing to the pressure on water sources.

Against this background there is now general recognition that we are dealing with a finite resource. For too long this consideration was regarded as applicable only to arid regions experiencing persistent water shortages or to parts of countries which, though possessing sufficient water resources nationally to satisfy their needs, encountered supply problems in some areas because of variations in the distribution of water either geographically or seasonally.

Water Management Strategy

A responsible management strategy for water should take account of key considerations such as :

• the provision of high quality supplies sufficient to meet the responsible demands of all users while respecting the needs of water dependent ecosystems ;

• the exploitation of water resources in a sustainable manner ; by its nature, the water cycle is self-renewing. As a consequence, we should seek to take advantage of this situation by ensuring that management practices protect the quality of water resources so that they can continue to be used to best advantage on an on-going basis ;

• the need to use existing resources in a more efficient manner, including the employment of awareness raising campaigns promoting conservation of water and the use of water-efficient equipment and fittings, as well as the implementation of leakage control programmes ;

• the application of the right mix of administrative and financial instruments, including appropriate pricing policies, in support of sustainability and efficiency of water use, and

• the importance of training for key personnel employed in the operation and maintenance of water treatment and supply systems.

Inevitably situations will arise where new or significantly increased demands can only be met by the development of new sources of supply. Outside of these situations every effort should be made to avail of demand management measures, such as those I have indicated, for the purpose of satisfying needs from existing sources. This approach offers advantages in environmental terms and savings in capital costs on the installation of water abstraction, treatment and possibly distribution systems which would otherwise be required.

Our management strategies should be supported by data on the extent and quality of our water resources, by water demand assessments, including projected future requirements, a proper awareness of the cost of developing and operating supply systems and information for water users on the cost implications for them as consumers of the final product. The environmental impact of proposals to exploit sources also needs to be addressed and fully reflected in the management strategies ultimately decided upon.

Marseilles Conference

The Barcelona Declaration provides an excellent foundation for the promotion of sustainable and balanced economic and social development in the Region. Participant countries have acknowledged the key role of suitable water management and resource development strategies in the pursuit of these objectives. The focus of the Charter of Rome on water management, including regional cooperation issues, is a further valuable contribution to this process. Today's Conference provides a fresh opportunity to build on these twin supports so as to develop and refine the principles which should guide future actions in the Euro Mediterranean region in relation to water management.

On behalf of the Presidency of the EU Environment Council, I wish the Conference success and look forward to the enunciation of principles that will ensure sustainable water management practices and provide the basis for further progress in relation to social and economic development in a manner which respects the environment.