Using cost-disproportionality for justification of an exemption from reaching the good status according to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Abstract
Within the first planning period, only limited number of water bodies in the Czech Republic have achieved the "good status" required by the Water Framework Directive and improvement is not expected in the second planning period (2015-2021). This is where applying for exemptions from reaching the "good status" comes into play.
This paper presents requirements the Water Framework Directive sets out in a case of exemption application due to cost-disproportionality. The paper also introduces Czech certified methodology for assessment of cost-proportionality and applies it at Stanovice water reservoir.
It turns out application of the exemption is not justifiable in Stanovice case. The results show, that generated benefits significantly exceed costs of measure implementation.
The society gains from achieving the "good status", which means another reason for an exemption would have to be used.