Watercourses
European programmes
A few European programmes provide funding for river basin management projects.
First, cohesion policy takes river basin management projects in particular into account and has the thematic objective of (OT6) "protecting the environment and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources”. Thus, it provides funding for projects through European Structural Funds such as FEDER, which supports the Interreg programmes, and FEADER, which aims at restoring and preserving biodiversity and the European political landscape, and improving water management.
Two other European programmes target the field of water and can be broken down into cross-border projects on rivers and rivers:
- LIFE 2014-2020 supports environmental policies through environmental projects, particularly through its “environment” sub-programme, which prioritises the area of “environment and rational use of resources”. The sub-programme’s projects focus on solving problems related to hydromorphological pressures, pollution, and re-naturalisation of the morphology of rivers. The projects also guarantee the safe and efficient use of water resources, improve water quantity management, ensure a high level of water quality, and prevent the excessive use and deterioration of water resources.
- The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020, gives strategic priority to the environment. Its research projects for rivers and streams are listed in the thematic section “Climate change, environment, resources and raw materials”. This section supports scientific cooperation and exchange of knowledge in the field of water and that intersects with Horizon 2020’s other objectives, such as fostering hydrological and hydrobiological research infrastructure.
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