CEPT - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2001 - 15 Shilling

The theme of Posteurop for 2001 was "water". Only 3% of the water present on the earth is fresh water, of which one-tenth is usable. The annual demand for water in Austria is about 2.6 billion m3, and the supply is about 84 billion m3. Thus, the demand is 3% of the volume, making Austria a country rich in water. For three years, the European Parliament and the Council discussed the future common water policy. In the previous year, the agreement was reached on "Water Framework Directives", whereby sustainable water use is a top priority. With new quality and monitoring standards, a high level of water management is to be achieved. The main goals are u.a. - Extend water protection to all bodies of water (including ground and coastal waters) - Achieve or maintain a good state - Expenditure-based prices - Strong involvement of the population in planning and decision-making processes - Streamline legislation - Gradually reduce the discharge of hazardous substances Austria, many of the requirements have long been practiced, is in view of the existing federal structures and the fact that the landlord is also the owner of the underlying groundwater (in contrast, for example, to Germany, where water as part of the natural balance can not become a normal commodity ), still be enough to do.