WFD and Agriculture PARIS CONFERENCE

MS ENGAGEMENT Positive Conference Strong Contributions Milestone for Programmes of Measures Building on the previous two years work done by SSG, for example co-operation, strengthening RDR and cross compliance, and looking forward to the future Makes sense to have positive dialogue with the farming sector and to encourage their involvement at the national and local levels through formal WFD Liaison Panels and informal involvement through other initia0tives – ECSFDI. Important to make full use of what is available because of CAP Reform but also to look at what else might be gained if we pushed harder. Also need to recognise that voluntary approaches might not be sufficient and therefore need to consider mandatory approaches – cross compliance may be an appropriate mechanism for this. Further decoupling of CAP could help reduce agricultural water over abstraction for certain crop types. A positive Declaration, recognising the challenges but pointing out possible solutions.

8 DISCUSSION GROUPS Cost and benefits of WFD programmes of measures – Agricultural pressures on water quality Voluntary measures versus compulsory measures: looking for an effective approach Cost and benefits of measures of WFD programmes of measures – Agricultural pressures on water quantity Contribution of rural development programmes to WFD objectives The EU Biomass Action Plan and WFD objectives New farming systems (e.g. integrated farm management), research and innovations in the agricultural sector: implications for water issues Article 38: towards the development of implementing rules Climate change and agriculture

RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS Not a panacea Who will use it? Funding Concerns And pointers for the next stages. Important to show the pressures and impacts from agriculture on water from groundwater pollution to abstraction. The full report has been sent with the Meeting’s Papers. Recognise that RDR is useful, but funds for it are limited and that water quality is not its sole objective or that farming is the only sector - forestry. A useful mechanism for achieving environmental improvements at the national level, but again that is not its sole objective – animal health. Recognising that things work better the greater the agreement on what needs to be done and by sharing of positive outcomes. Turned out to be a tricky subject! A very complex issue that needs further investigation – although not identified in the mandate – may be appropriate to be taken forward through economic units.

Cross Compliance More from cross compliance Other measures? More from Strategic Steering Group? More from cross compliance? – CAP health check an opportunity to examine water quality and quantity concerns, but much will depend on whether EU deliver any significant CAP simplification Is there a role for market initiatives/measures – e.g. farm assurance schemes? May want to mention voluntary agreements? Strategic Steering Group could advise further – by extending the work on catalogue of measures to identify appropriate measures for compulsory or voluntary action.