Effect of the EU Water Framework Directive on water resources management in Turkey

Water resources policy and management in Turkey are formed by water and food security, economic and social development, full membership negotiations with the EU and evaluation of developments in the region. In this respect, it is also revised according to changing conditions mentioned. Therefore, Turkey has an obligation to harmoniza the EU legislation and related other regulations to the current domestic law in the EU accession process effectively. One of the areas where alignment is important in this process is the environment. The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the legal regulations for the harmonization process in the EU accession process on the topic of environment. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the effects of the WFD on water resources management in Turkey by investigating the legal, organizational and political aspects. The eight main objectives of the WFD were used as criteria for making these assessments. Many legislative arrangements have been made in the process of harmonization with EU legislation. However, the lack of proper water law to EU WFD standards in Turkey effects water management and inter-agency coordination has been found to adversely affect. If the draft Water Law prepared in 2012 is updated in accordance with the current conditions and the EU WFD, it would provide political, organizational and legal integrity in terms of water management.