Horizontal Guidance on Wetlands What happened since the last Meeting Horizontal Guidance on Wetlands What happened since the last Meeting ? Rome, 24 March IRBM

Wetland Working Group Members (WWGMs) Austria; Bulgaria; Czech Republic; Denmark; Flanders; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy (Leader) Lithuania; Romania, Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; UK; Commission; EEB; WWF; Evaluwet

Drafting Status January 2003: Draft 1.0 circulated to WWGMs 29 January 2003: First Meeting in Brussels WWGMs sent comments on chapters I,II&ToC Draft 2.0 Presented to the SGC (21 Feb.) SGC sent comments on Draft 2.0 Draft 2.1 Sent to the WWGMs (13 March) Comments received from some WWGMs

Guidance document vers. 2.1 New Table of Contents FOREWORD 1. INTRODUCTION 2. THE STATUS OF WETLANDS WITHIN THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE What is a wetland? Wetlands Values and Functions Identification of the primary role of wetlands Wetlands and Groundwater What is significant damage and how should it be measured? Surface waters and wetlands Wetlands in relation to transitional and coastal waters Characterisation 3. WFD REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING WETLANDS Minimum requirements Objectives for water bodies at High Status or Maximum Ecological Potential Objectives for other water bodies Monitoring and hydromorphology Monitoring groundwater bodies and dependent ecosystems Impacts on wetlands

New Table of Contents( cont.) 4. Protected Areas and the Water Framework Directive. Which Ecosystems should be Included within the Protected Areas Register? What Provisions Does the WFD Make for Protected Areas? 5. WETLANDS IN PROGRAMMES OF MEASURES Basic and supplementary measures Basic measures Supplementary Measures and Wetlands Community legislation Cost Recovery Measures safeguarding drinking water quality Measures to address any other significant adverse impacts, Cost Effectiveness and 'Significantly Better Environmental Options.' Wetland Creation, Maintenance and Enhancement to Achieve WFD Objectives Using wetlands to achieve pollution control Using Wetlands to alleviate the impacts of floods and droughts Using Wetlands to Achieve Sustainable Coastal Management Using wetlands to enhance groundwater recharge References and Bibliography Annex I

The WFD refers to wetlands but does not define them or provide a size range to indicate their dimension

During the kick-off meeting (29/01/03) it was agreed to define a wetlands ‘description’ instead of a wetlands ‘definition’

wetlands are diverse, complex ecosystems; The Ramsar definition is accepted but it includes “water bodies”; a wetlands description is a more flexible guide for Member States to use to their own national situations

Wetland identification Wetlands may be identified as water bodies at the discretion of Member States, if their consideration is of practical relevance for the achievement of the rivers or lakes environmental objectives

The Guidance needs to clarify: Environmental Objectives (Good status) have to be achieved When a wetland is a water body Environmental Objectives have to be achieved or measure are to be taken When a wetland is part of a water body When a wetland is a protected area Protection under the the specific legislation When a wetland is not part of a water body Wetland could be part of the programme of measures

Good groundwater status; and, Terrestrial Ecosystems Implement programmes of measures to protect and restore their groundwater needs to the extent needed to achieve: Good groundwater status; and, Any relevant objectives for protected areas

Prevent deterioration in status Achieve good surface water status, and Water Bodies If identified as water bodies, implement programmes of measures to protect and restore to the extent needed to: Prevent deterioration in status Achieve good surface water status, and Achieve any relevant objectives for protected areas

Prevent deterioration in surface water status; Hydromorphological Quality Elements Apply Article 11.3(i) measures and other relevant measures, to protect, enhance and restore to the extent needed to: Prevent deterioration in surface water status; Achieve good surface water status; and Achieve any relevant objectives for protected areas

Restore or recreate wetlands as a supplementary measure designed to: Programme of Measures Restore or recreate wetlands as a supplementary measure designed to: Enable the basic measures to be used with a lighter touch,where considered appropriate by the Member State; Ensure the achievement of the Directive’s objectives where basic measures cannot do so on their own

Issues Requiring further clarification within the WG: How do wetlands interact to influence the biological quality elements that make up Good Ecological Status ? How do groundwater bodies and wetlands interact, and how can these relationships best be characterised within WFD How will the Protected Areas Register work to ensure that wetland water needs are reflected in the River Basin Planning Process? What role do wetlands have within the Programmes of Measures of the WFD?

Where we are ?

CIS

(Before Copenhagen)

New Working Groups (After Copenhagen) Working Group on “Ecological Status” (Cluster WG 2A) Working Group on “Integrated River Basin Management” (Cluster WG 2B) Working Group on “Groundwater” (WG 2C) (after last meeting of EAF Groundwater) EAF Reporting (Cluster WG 2D)

Integrated River Basin Management IRBM Working Group (2B)

Objectives

3 main objectives 1) identify gaps and ensure coherence between guidance documents 2) define methodologies for the development of RBMP and programmes of measures 3) share experience and build capacity most of the results gathered into a coherent, transversal and integrated manual on IRBM

Objective 1 Coherence between GD: PRB testing Testing of key issues refering to operational aspects with application to real cases Phase 1 a : until 3rd quarter of 2003, testing of guidance documents related to Article 5 Phase 1 b : until mid 2004, testing of GD not tested in phase 1a Phase 2 : until end 2004, integrated testing on the development of Programmes of Measures and RBMP

Objective 2 Methodologies for RBMP and PM RBMP : approaches and methods for river basin planning Programmes of measures : identification of existing measures, content of the PM, link with the overview of significant issues, measures related to incentive pricing and economic instruments, dimensions of analysis (scale, technical, economical and social aspects) Planning process, wetlands, economic analysis : contributions to objective 2

Objective 3 Share experience and build capacity Baseline scenario, economical tools, assessment of environmental costs, … Technical methodologies and tools for the development of RBMP and PM Links with ongoing European research projects …  Workshops and training products

The WG leaders The Plenary The Drafting Groups Organisation The WG leaders The Plenary The Drafting Groups

WG leaders: France and Spain Drafting of ToR and work programme of the WG Development of practical arrangements for a sound operation of the WG Coordination for the definition of the ToR, work programme and activities of the  drafting groups (DG) Development of right links between plenary and DG Coordination with other WG inside the CIS Coordination with the SCG and reports to SCG Facilitation of agreements on open issues

The Plenary Representatives of MS, Commission, stakeholders Forum One person designated as focal point for each MS/stakeholder Approval of ToR and work programme of the WG Discussion on deliverables produced by the drafting groups Decision on open issues to be presented to the SCG About 2 sessions / year, eventual additional meetings

The Drafting Groups Small teams of experts (less than 10 people) Mandated by WG Develop documents on specific issues Present draft documents to the Plenary and SCG Organise consultation with Plenary and other experts Face to face meetings reduced to the nimimum necessary + virtual meetings, e-mail contacts One member of the DG acting as its head, leading and coordinating the drafting works in cooperation with the WG leaders

Groups of experts A reservoir of expertise for the DG Maintenance of the network of experts already implemented in the CIS (members of the former WG)

A Steering Group for PRB testing Steering Group : JRC, Spain, France Technical Secretariat : JRC Interface with PRB leaders and DG Env. Information exchange Synthesis report of the results of integrated testing

Work programme and tasks

Work Programme and Priorities Pragmatic and progressive schedule : not more than 3-4 DG at the same time 1st priority : planning process (End February) 2nd priority : wetlands (June 2003)

New tasks identified in the last Water Directors meeting Preparation of RBMP and programmes of measures Integration of economic issues in new GD (baseline scenario, scale) Adressing economical methodological aspects (environmental costs, incentive pricing, …)

Provisional timetable

First Plenary Meeting 10-11 March 2003, Paris Provisional agenda : - Final GD on planning process - Draft GD on wetlands - State of play of PRB testing and future deadlines - Final mandate of WG, taking into account SCG comments - Work programme and tasks - Objectives and general guidelines for the DG

Synthesis of the discussions Integrated River Basin Management Working Group First Plenary Meeting 10th & 11th March 2003 - Paris Synthesis of the discussions

A new organisational approach Reduction of work load + pragmatism Different types of activities  keep the process manageable  new working methods with only a few face to face meetings (2 or 3)  need of clear rules / procedures

Role of Plenary sessions decide on activities to be done give clear orientations for drafting groups discuss open issues, solve special problems, deal with (new) gaps and plan how to fill them link with and report to SCG build common understanding and appropriation, sharing of documents ensure integration and coordination of activities guarantee that each WG participant is informed and can express his opinion

Drafting Groups Need for flexibility, necessity to adapt working methods to each case  workshops, e-mail consultation, face-to-face meetings, … Need for coordination and information flow  DG leader(s) in close contact with WG leaders  progress report(s) to the WG when necessary

Generally, 3 steps for each DG product 1 – annotated outline and table of contents 2 - first draft 3 - final draft  consultation rounds - at each step - at the level of the WG

Need for a regular information  progress report from DG leaders to WG leaders  progress report made by WG leaders and sent to all WG members and presented to SCG  e-mail contacts ; consultation rounds

RBMP / Programmes of measures Draft table of contents presented to the next plenary session Beginning of activities during the second half of 2003

The way towards an integrated manual on IRBM presentation of an issue paper to the next plenary meeting proposal of the Commission taking into account inputs from WG 2B (and 2A)

Wetlands WG Integration of IRBM WG leaders in the technical meetings and workshop(s) Dissemination of the draft to IRBM WG after the 2nd wetlands meeting (i e after 24th March) collection of comments before presentation to SCG refine the works after June if necessary, possible testing ?

What changes after Paris ? The Wetlands WG still ramain a WG (not a DG) The Wetlands WG will work in close collaboration with the WG 2.B leadership WG 2.B has to be consulted before the SCG meeting about the progress of the work The Wetlands WG will produce his final draft according to the timetable, then the WG 2.B will decide to refine the guidance if necessary Do you think that this structure could work ?