European Commission activities Balázs Horváth European Commission DG Environment Unit for Protection of Water Environment

Reduced COM involvement in CIS activities in 2012 The Commission informed the Water Directors that due to recent constrains in resources, and given the high workload expected for 2012 related mainly to the preparation of the Blueprint, the Commission has to reduce its involvement on a number of CIS activities and postpone other working strands that were foreseen. The Commission therefore announced that It will not be able in 2012 to carry out the tasks related to the co-chairmanship of the Working Groups C on Groundwater. This means that in 2012 the Commission will limit itself to attendance to the meetings but is not expecting to be involved in preparing the meetings, agendas, co-chairmanship, and other roles that the co-leading of the activity normally entails. It postpones the revision of the Annexes of the Groundwater Directive, which will not take place in 2012. The Commission regretted these decisions but justified the need to ensure the integrity and the quality of the Blueprint, which is the main political priority of 2012. The Commission indicated that will reconsider this decision after the publication of the Blueprint, on the basis of the resource situation at that time.

Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Waters Public consultation has been launched! Background consultation document with problem descriptions and draft policy options Questionnaire http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/blueprint_en.htm Deadline: 7/6/2012 More info: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/blueprint/index_en.htm

River basin management plans in Europe GREEN - River Basin Management Plans adopted! YELLOW - consultations finalised, but awaiting adoption. RED - consultation have not started or ongoing.                                                                                                                                         

Communication to MS relating the Blueprint Bilateral communication on preliminary findings and validation of information provided – bottom-up assessment. Feedback letters sent to SCG members Comparative Study on Pressures and Measures – top-down assessment. Information request sent to SCG members Bilateral communication on a specific request on GW TVs to WG C members: sent out today to 23 MS.

Analysis of RBMPs Summaries of the WISE electronic deliveries: http://wfd2.atkins.dk/summary Login: wfduser Password: Dir200060ec Groundwater status, measures, monitoring, objectives and exemptions, protected areas…

Technical documents endorsed! Technical Report on Groundwater Dependent Terrestrial Ecosystems Review of Annex I/II of Directive 2006/118/EC and recommendations for revision both endorsed by Water Directors, thank you for all who contributed! http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/thematic_documents/o_-_groundwater&vm=detailed&sb=Title

Green Week on water DG ENV will be organising the Green Week next year. It will be held on 22-25 May 2012, back-to-back with the 3rd European Water Conference “Every Drop Counts” http://ec.europa.eu/environment/greenweek/ 8

ClimWatAdapt project and in Combination of climate change and socio-economic scenarios for 2025 and 2050. Vulnerability indicators for floods, water scarcity, droughts and impacts on water quality. Database of adaptation measures with potential impacts. Integrated assessment tool. Final results in CIRCA http://circa.europa.eu/Members/irc/env/climwatadapt/library?l=/steering_climwatadapt/final_report_revised&vm=detailed&sb=Title and in www.climwatadapt.eu

Thank you for your attention More information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htm 10