Flood risk management in Europe: a deep dive into the Floods Directive

Willemijn van Doorn-Hoekveld and Frank Groothuijse

Chapter 20 in Research Handbook on EU Water Law, 2026, pp 355-367 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter discusses how the Floods Directive (FD) creates a framework for assessing and managing flood risks at river basin level, while aiming to contribute to achieving environmental objectives of other EU directives, such as the Water Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive. The different strategies that the FD distinguishes for FRM are discussed, as well as the obligation to identify flood risk areas on the basis of preliminary risk assessments and produce flood risk maps. It also addresses the flood risk management plans that Member States must adopt for these areas. These plans should include flood risk management objectives and measures, also considering how these measures can contribute to the environmental objectives of other EU directives. Member States’ obligation within the same river basin to coordinate the content of these plans and to ensure that flood risk management measures do not increase the probability of flooding in other Member States is explained in more detail. Finally, the implementation of flood risk management strategies in a number of Member States and some notable findings from the most recent EC's assessment of the flood risk management plans will be discussed.

Keywords: Flood Risk Management; Flood Risk Management Strategies; Floods Directive; Coordinated Transboundary River Basin Management; Solidarity Obligation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035336425
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