Implementing the EU Water Framework Directive
& the Floods Directive
The implementation of the Water Framework Directive raises
a number of shared technical challenges for the Member States,
the Commission, the Candidate and EEA Countries as well as
stakeholders and NGOs. In addition, many of the European river
basins are international, crossing administrative and territorial
borders and therefore a common understanding and approach
is crucial to the successful and effective implementation
of the Directive.
In order to address the challenges in a co-operative and
coordinated way, the Member States, Norway and the Commission
agreed on a Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) for the Water Framework Directive only five months after the
entry into force of the Directive.
The results of this work, for instance guidance documents, resource documents or key events related to different aspects of the implementation is available on CIRCA, and Thematic CIS information sheets [Hyperlink to new heading att he bottom] are available giving an overview with direct links to key documents available.
More details on the overall concept, the numerous activities
and the mandates of the Working Groups under the Common Implementation
Strategy are given in the Work programmes informally agreed by EU Water Directors
(available for download in pdf format, ~ 0,9 to 1,5 MB):
The common strategy also supports the Commission in delivering
on its obligations for further policy development (Daughter
Directives on groundwater and on priority
substances).
In addition, the newly adopted Directive 2007/60/EC
on the assessment and management of flood risks shall
be closely coordinated with the Water Framework Directive.
The Common Implementation Strategy therefore also supports
the implementation of the Floods Directive, through Working
group F on Floods. More details on the work programme and
mandate of that Working group is given in the following
agreed informal document :
Find some more details, in particular about:
- Transposition
and Reporting
Overview of the obligations on the Member States
- Guidance
Documents
Several documents on technical aspects elaborated
in the context of the CIS
- Pilot River Basins
Important testing of guidance documents has been carried
out by Pilot River Basins
- Environmental objectives and
intercalibration
The environmental objectives constitute the core
of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Follow this link
to know more about them and the on-going intercalibration
exercise.
- Water economics
Economics is important in the implementation of the Water
Framework Directive. Follow this link to find more information,
guidance, studies and training material on these requirements
and more.
- WFD implementation
links
Links to official WFD implementation web sites of the
Member States, International River Basin Commissions an
of the WFD Pilot River Basins.
The documents which are prepared in the context of the
Common Implementation Strategy and many other useful documents
are available on a specific information exchange platform
which was set up for this process, the so-called WFD
CIRCA Interest Group "Implementing the Water Framework
Directive".
Thematic CIS information sheets
The following thematic information sheets are available on CIRCA, providing more information and resource material publicly available of a variery of subject(s) :
Topic n°1 : River Basin Management
Topic n°2 : Reporting and WISE (Water Information System for Europe)
Topic n°3 : Ecological Status
Topic n°4 : Groundwater
Topic n°5 : Chemical Aspects
Topic n°6 : Flood Risk Management
Topic n°7 : Climate Change and Water
Topic n°8 : Water Scarcity and drought
Topic n°9 : Agriculture and Water
Topic n°10 : Biodiversity and water
Topic n°11 : Hydromorphology
Topic n°12 : Economic Issues |
