EU Water Framework Directive Review of SCG rules of procedure SCG meeting Brussels, 15-16 May 2006 Jorge Rodriguez Romero European Commission, DG Environment Unit D.2 – Water and Marine, WFD Team

Contents Redistribution of roles between SCG and WD Involvement of stakeholders in the CIS process

Role of SCG/WD: background Suggestion from Water Directors seminar in Luxembourg: “to discuss and re-distribute the roles between SCG and Water Directors with the aim of reducing administrative business at the Water Directors meetings and allowing more time for strategy and policy discussions”

Proposals role of SCG/WD SCG decides by consensus whether a finalised deliverable should be included at WD meeting in: Batch endorsement agenda point (no presentation, no discussion) Specific agenda point for discussion Any delegation can request to include a point in 1 CIS Progress Report would be included in 1 Annex to the minutes of the SCG will reflect the Group’s opinion on which documents are to be included in 1 and which ones in 2

Stakeholder participation: background The number of new applications has raised as CIS process addresses new topics, and this trend will continue Future conversion of EAF on Priority Substances and EAF on Floods to Working Groups will probably bring new organisations Current criteria and organisation is not able to cope with this increased participation Calendar: SCG October 2005: First exchange of views among Member States SCG February 2006: discussion document Written comments received

Stakeholder participation: suggestions Stakeholders organise themselves to limit and balance the attendance to SCG meetings among different interests Thematic clusters Limited number of seats in meetings Unlimited number of recognised stakeholders Two levels of participation Level 1: meet fully the admission criteria (all current SCG members) Participate in SCG, full access to CIRCA… Level 2: meet partially the admission criteria No participation in SCG but can contribute through their cluster or DG ENV Full access to CIRCA They will be in copy in all communications to SCG (except invitation) Participation in WG as to date (technical interest groups)

Stakeholder participation: Clusters and number of seats Type of organisation Cluster (maximum number of seats) Description of organisations intended to form part of each cluster (not exhaustive) STAKEHOLDERS (total 15 seats) Agriculture (3) Farmers, irrigators, aquaculture. Energy (3) Electricity utilities, hydropower. Industry (3) Manufacture, chemical industry. Navigation (3) Ports, navigation, recreation Water supply and waste water (3) Water utilities NGO (total 10 seats) Environment (6) Environmental NGO Consumers (2) Consumer protection Others (2) Other NGO defending other legitimate uses of water IGO River Basin management (5) River conventions, river basin authorities' organisations. Local/regional administrations (3) Municipalities, regional governments. Activities linked with the hydrological cycle or with water management

Way forward Endorsement in WD meeting Salzburg 1-2 June Introduce the new rules for the SCG meetings in October/November and the WD meeting in Finland Formation of clusters after Salzburg meeting