Research as a new activity of the CIS WG 2B Manuel Menéndez Scientific and Technical Coordinator Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos del CEDEX

Strategic Coordination Group “Integrated River Basin Management” CIS since beginning of 2003 Water Directors Chair: Presidencia, Co-chair: Comission Expert Advisory Forum 1) Priority substances 2) Aguas subterráneas Chair: Commission Art. 21 Comité Strategic Coordination Group Chair: Commission Working Group 2.A “Ecological Status” Lead: D, UK Working Group 2.B “Integrated River Basin Management” Lead: F,SP Working Group 2.C “Groundwater” (after end of EAF GW) Lead: Comision Co-lead: A Working Group 2.D “EAF Reporting” Lead: Comision

Integrated river basin management Working group 2B (Since beginning 2003) Presented to WD in June 2004: Economic Analysis Baseline scenario Cost recovery Eco I Inf sheets Eco II Env. costs. In progress Pilot River Basins From in. Ch to RBMPs In progress Workshop and Plenary meeeting 21-22 October 2004

Working Group 2B. Future Activities (2005-2006) France, Spain with specific activity leaders as The Netherlands and United Kingdom The Netherlands, Spain Art. 5 and research Pilot River Basins Agriculture United Kingdom Cost- efficiency PRB leaders. Technical Secretary: JRC France

Working Group 2B. Future Activities (2005-2006) Now in process of elaborating mandates (information sheets) for each activity: Recommendations from WD meeting in Dublin (June 2004) Meeting of “brainstorming group”: F,D,N,S,UK, Comission, JRC in Brussels (8 Sept) PRBs discussion in Ghent. (4-5 October) General discussion in plenary meeting in Paris (21-22 October) Presentation and discussion in SCG ( 27-28 October)

WG 2B Activity 1: exchange of information and highlighting best practices and research needs on key issues of IRBM European relevance Article 5 reports (including PRBs experiences) are a good basis to know major issues in order to meet the objectives of the WFD For each problem identified it is foreseen to define activities that may merit a EU approach in the way of reference products: information papers, information exchange activities, etc. The process will serve, as well, to develop an overview of knowledge gaps that need further research

EU-wide resolving approach Be as specific as the level needs or as general as the level can be Certain issues can be dealt with optimally at EU level

Role of PRBs PRBs may pick up a subject identified as a key issue and contribute to prepare a EU wide reference (information papers, information exchange activities including workshops, etc). A reference product can be tested by PRBs according their specific characteristics/interests for example: Defining ways to improve the processes for validadtion of tools and methodologies Providing information on restrictions in the use of research results as lack of available data, trained staff, etc

Specific activities in 2005 January-March 2005: Collection of provisional topics from all Member States April 2005: Workshop for “technical” endorsement of the list and “pyramid check”. Plenary meeting and consequences in other WPs of WG 2B (as PRBs). Workshop for first tentative translation to research topics. May-September 2005: Discussion activities between WFD implementers (including PRBs) and research community to translate WFD demands into research topics October 2005: Discussion of results in plenary meeting of WG2B. November 2005: Presentation to SCG December 2005: Presentation to WD