Workshop 4 - Institutional strengthening

Abstract

WATER AGENCIES AND RIVER BASIN COMMITTEE IN FRANCE

M. Jean-Louis PRIME - Deputy Director, Industrial and Agricultural Affairs, Rhone Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency.

FRANCE

The agencies were created by the 1964 Water Law, which had three particularities : a division of the French territory into six hydrographic basins, the association of all users, the establishment of special financial resources (water charges for pollution and withdrawals from the natural media) related to water.

In each of the six river basins :

• the Basin Committee, ''Water Parliament'', approves the five-year action programme and the water charges of the Agency,
• the Water Agency, assists, within the framework of its action programme, communities and enterprises to implement projects for water management and protection. Its financial resources come from the water charges that are levied regarding pollution and withdrawals. The Agency is financially self-supporting.

The Basin Committee and the Agency's Board of Directors are composed of three colleges of representatives from local communities, water users (enterprises, associations for environmental protection, etc...) and from the Government.

From 1992 to 1996 the six agencies participated for about 35 billion francs in the implementation of projects amounting to 90 billion francs.

The new Water Law of 1992 planned that the Basin Committee of each River Basin would prepare, in a widely concerted manner, a water management and development masterplan to optimize global water management and sustainably meet the various requirements, while ensuring the conservation of water resources and aquatic ecosystems. Should the need arises, in small local sub-basins, management schemes may be prepared, in a concerted manner, with the same objectives in mind.

This whole arrangement aims at facilitating the protection of water resources and aquatic ecosystems (a common heritage with an economic value which is not taken into account on the market). and their concerted management.