Public water policy in France: French experience in support of international initiatives

A significant proportion of French water regulations result from the application of European directives, and particularly the Water Framework Directive aimed at ensuring clean water and healthy aquatic environments by 2015.

France has many years of experience in the fi eld of international initiatives to aid developed, emerging, transitional and developing countries founded on the know-how of the various players in France, both in terms of integrated management of water resources and  access to water and sanitation. Regarding developing countries, France has set itself the objective of doubling its water funding, with Africa as the priority. France currently provides €268 million per year of bilateral aid and €100 million per year of multi-lateral aid.

This commitment is part of the country’s objective of achieving
an aid effort of 0.5% of gross national income by 2007 and 0.7% by 2012, an objective recommended by the UN. The on-going doubling of France’s aid is mainly allocated to:
• Sanitation, while maintaining drinking water access work.
• Access to water and sanitation services for disadvantaged population groups in rural, semi-urban and urban areas.
• Integrated and effi cient water resource management, particularly in terms of water quality, cost, and the fair distribution of the resulting benefits.