1. Water Science-Policy Interface (CIS-SPI)
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
RESEARCH DIRECTORATE-GENERAL
Directorate I – Environment
Water Science-Policy Interface (CIS-SPI)
or why SPI
Main responsibility:
- ONEMA
– DG RTD
Presented by: Robert Kase
as SPI correspondent for the WG E
contact:
15th WG E meeting at the 14th March 2012, Brussels

2. Improve WFD Implementation with an ad hoc activity on water Science-Policy Interface (SPI)
Organisational structure of CIS:
Main objectives of the SPI Interface:
Ensure a dynamic interface between researchers, policy makers and water managers
To identify research needs and to boost usability of available (or to be produced) results to support WFD implementation
or short: to bring need-oriented research into regulation / or to bridge the gap between science and policy
The implementation of the Water Framework Directive raises challenges, which are widely shared by Member States. These include:
• an extremely demanding timetable ;
• the complexity of the text and the diversity of possible solutions to scientific, technical and practical questions;
• the problem of capacity building and an incomplete technical and scientific basis with a large number of fundamental issues, which need further elaboration and substantiation to make the transition from principles and general definitions to practical implementation successful;
Established in 2001, the CIS aims to allow, as far as possible, a coherent and harmonious implementation of the framework directive :
most of the challenges and difficulties arising are inevitably common to all Member States, especially in transboundary river basins where a common understanding and approach is crucial to successful and effective implementation ;
a common strategy could limit the risks of bad application of the Directive and subsequent dispute ;
Focus is on methodological questions related to a common understanding of the technical and scientific implications of the WFD. The aim is to clarify and develop, where appropriate, supporting technical and scientific information to assist in the practical implementation of the Directive (supporting documents such as guidance documents providing advice on operational methods are developed for this purpose).

3. The Science-Policy Interface (SPI) is based on:
A mandate from Water Directors with 3 tasks:
Task 1 : Inventory of research and implementation needs from CIS groups
Task 2 : Identify available research and research gaps
Task 3 : Improving transfer and usability of research
Since 2000 technical milestones of WFD have called for scientific support, technical knowledge, practical experiences and availability of various tools. In this context attempt has been made to establish working relationships among research projects and WFD implementers. From the experience gathered over the last years it appeared that the transfer of knowledge resulting from these projects was not satisfactory enough as only a few projects could contribute effectively and timely to wfd policy milestones.
With the aim to improve this situation the water directors of the European Union established in december 2009 the ad-hoc activity on water science-policy interface under the common implementation strategy. This activity has got the objective to link the research needs of relevant WFD end-users with scientific research outputs.
In this perspective SPI has got a 3-year mandate including 3 tasks:
this activity is co-led by DG RTD and France

4. National Water ResearchMS
Participation
R&D
EU Water research
Task 2:
Available research EU
Task 3:
Improved
dissemination
Water
science meets
policy
Science-Policy Interface
Task 1:
research needs
Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) EU
The CIS-SPI activity is divided in three tasks aiming at facilitating water science-policy interface by involving European union and member states at every stages
task1: the inventory of research and implementation needs is the basis to evaluate the needs of WFD implementers. The CIS is the place where these needs are expressed
task2 aims at inventorying available research and research gaps and at establishing a list of priority research for the attention of relevant funding organisations to ensure that research gaps are known and possibly taken up in research programming activities
Task 3: to improve transfer and usability of research SPI acts as a facilitating buffer between the two communities
WFD implementation
Participation MS
National Policy Makers, Managers, « Stakeholders »

5. increasing specificity of needs?
Timetable of SPI
May Questionnaire #1 (Raphaël Guillet)
Initial list of needs (incomplete, not validated)
Sept st SPI event (10 round tables)
Preliminary list of needs discussed
Not enough on Priority, Urgency, Knowledge (PUK)
Dec – call for SPI correspondents nominations by each working group
Some delays
January 2011 – Questionnaire to FP6/FP7 coordinators
July 2011 – Questionnaire #2 (Marie-Perrine Durot), was done during October to January in the WG E
Revised list of needs, more on PUK
February 2012 – workshop of SPI correspondents to improve networking and share experiences
increasing specificity of needs?
The questionnaire evaluation will be presented today

6. Objective and motivation of SPI
Overarching objective: to influence research programmes with policy needs for information
Report in 2012 to the water Directors:
Needs from the CIS working groups and expert groups and related research gaps
Indication of main knowledge available
Suggestions for developing an operational science-policy interface
Within the CIS
Within Europe across levels down to local level
Proposal for a second mandate from 2013
Iterative process

7. Thank you for your attention Any urgent questions?
Now it is time to identify your needs
for later questions, please contact:
– ONEMA
– DG RTD
or for simple questions:
Any urgent questions?

8. The 1st SPI event 30 Sept. 2010, Brussels
background information:
The 1st SPI event 30 Sept. 2010, Brussels
Objective: to connect scientists and WFD end-users on research needs & gaps and to improve SPI & dissemination
150 participants from 15 MS and Switzerland
35% from the scientific community, 65% from WFD “end-users” (policy makers & implementers)
Nine interactive parallel round tables. « Vertical » as well as « cross-cutting » issues expressed in several roundtables
Outcomes:
59 research areas
180 specific research issues
Available on CIRCA
Move away from sectoral vision ; adopt holistic approach
8 main cross-cutting issues
Report
sent to EU and national research programming agencies
Helped to update research needs from CIS groups with indication of priorities
The first “water science meets policy” event was held on 30 September 2010 at DG Research in Brussels and was attended by 150 participants from 15 Members-States and Switzerland as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), stakeholder groups, DG Research, JRC and DG Environment. A balanced representation between researchers and WFD end-users was ensured: 35% of representatives were from the scientific community and 65% of representatives were from knowledge end-users.
Thanks to nine interactive parallel round tables and plenary sessions this event has helped us to draw the scene in terms of research needs for WFD implementation. It rose in total 59 research areas including together about 180 specific research issues. Overall, the discussions conducted during this session stressed out the need to move away from a sectoral vision and adopt a more holistic approach. Eight main cross-cutting issues were highlighted
Research needs discussed at the 1st SPI event (30/09/2010) available through the WFD CIRCA website (under “workshops and conferences”).
Report sent to EU and national research programming agencies (ongoing JPI “water challenges”).
Panorama of FP6/7 projects relevant to CIS research themes and issues + Ongoing survey to selected projects to identify available knowledge relevant to the CIS research issues
On this basis, update of research needs from CIS groups with indication of priorities
Nomination of a SPI correspondent in each CIS group

9. SPI Mandate: 3 Tasks over 2010-2012
Compile feedback from users and future research needs
Ensure efficient transfer and uptake of scientific knowledge
Task 1 Inventory of research and implementation needs from CIS groups
- Inventory of the needs for each CIS WG (based on a questionnaire followed by discussion within or back to back with regular meetings of the WGs)
Compilation of the needs from the different WGs
Task 2 Available research and research gaps
Inventory of available research results relevant to CIS research and implementation needs.
Discussion of research gaps on a yearly basis within each CIS Working Group or Activity
A list of priority research topics to be communicated to the CIS Strategic Coordination Group once a year, as well as to relevant funding organisations (DG RTD, JPIs, ERA-NETs, others)
Task 3 Improving transfer and usability of research outputs
Organisation of Water Science meets Policy events (possibly linked to a Water ERA-NET),
Compilation of synthesis (2 pages) to translate results from existing RTD projects into “Science-Policy Briefs” (posted on website and CIRCA)
Contributing to demonstration of applicability (pilot zones)
How does this activity work?
Task 1: Inventory of research and implementation needs from CIS groups
Each CIS-group makes an inventory of the needs on their field of activity based on their mandates.
This can be based on a questionnaire within each WG followed by discussion within or back to back with regular meetings of the WGs.
The SPI-group compiles the needs from the different WGs, and ensures that information on existing knowledge is transferred (Task 2), or that gaps are relayed to relevant funding organisations (Task 3).
Task 2: Available research and research gaps
Inventory of available research results relevant to CIS research and implementation needs.
Discussion of research gaps on a yearly basis within each CIS Working Group or Activity
A list of priority research topics to be communicated to the CIS Strategic Coordination Group once a year, as well as to relevant funding agencies (DG RTD, JPIs, ERA-NETs, others)
Task 3: Improving transfer and usability of research outputs
Organisation of Water Science meets Policy events (possibly linked to a Water ERA-NET),
Guidance in compilation of synthesis (2 pages) for policy-makers
To translate results from existing local/national and EU RTD projects into “Science-Policy Briefs” of relevance to CIS needs
To highlight key scientific outputs supporting technical water policy milestones,
To be posted on the WFD europa website and CIRCA, and possibly translated in different EU languages to widen taken-up by MS.
Contributing to demonstration of applicability : encouraging science-policy networking at most appropriate level (from EU to catchment level).
Particular attention is paid to transferring information at the most appropriate timing so that it can be taken up by DG RTD for the yearly programming of the FP work programme (e.g. in March every year) and similarly for the ERANET