1. Commission activities Water Directors meeting November Jorge Rodríguez Romero, Unit D.2, DG Environment, European Commission

2. Contents State of play infringement procedures
Preparation of Commission Report Article 18 monitoring programmes
Preparation of Commission Report threshold values Groundwater Directive
Preparations of European Water Conference
Towards a concept for compliance checking of WFD River Basin Management Plans (presentation Tuesday morning)
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

3. State of play infringements
Transposition including Water Services
13 launched, 2 more imminent and few more in preparation
Order responds to resources issues not to importance of conformity problems
Non-communication monitoring networks: 2 cases open
Article 5 non-communication: all cases closed
Article 3: one court ruling pending
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

4. Preparation of Commission report article 8 monitoring networks
On-going compliance checking work based on concept paper presented to Working Group Reporting – comments taken on board
Technical work to be finalised by the end of 2008
Early 2009: consultation on Member States annexes, internal consultations and procedures
Assessment of key issues
Objectives of monitoring programmes
Comprehensiveness
Status of developments of methods
Selection of quality elements
Frequency of monitoring
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

5. Commission report monitoring programmes – table of contents
Introduction
Monitoring Programmes for European waters – overview
Methodology for the Compliance Check
Results of the Member States (EU perspective)
International river basin districts
Conclusions
Annex: Information on MS Monitoring Programmes
(individual template for each MS)
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

6. Groundwater threshold values
GWD Article 3:
MS should establish Threshold Values by
22 December 2008
Threshold values have to be published as part of the first the river basin management plans (RBMP) which means that the reporting obligation is linked to RBMP reporting by
22 March 2010
However, according to the GWD the Commission has to publish a report in
22 December 2009
Consequently reporting of TVs via the RBMP is too late for the preparation of the Commission report

7. Proposal for data collection
An earlier data collection is needed → questionnaire from COM to be sent to Water Directors
Questionnaire
Overview of substances, concentrations and levels (GWB, RBD, national part of international RBD, Members State level)
Summaries of the methodological approach
Preparation of the questionnaire including consultation with WG C January 2009
Distribution of the questionnaire: early February 2009
Deadline for answers: end March 2009

8. Charlemagne building, COM, Brussels
Conference
2-3 April 2008,
Charlemagne building, COM, Brussels
Focus on consultation process, SWMIs and draft RBMP
European stakeholders feedback on draft RBMPs
Discussion on strategic water management issues
Distance participation via webstreaming
Invitation to European stakeholders and their members, to Member States and competent auhtorities, MEPs…
Exhibition
First draft programme to be presented shortly
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

9. Preparing the conference
Survey to identify key documents (Work programmes, SWMIs, draft RBMP)
s or letters to Water Directors or Strategic coordination group – depending on level of accessibility of information on the internet
Survey on consultation mechanisms:
Contact persons sought in each MSa and/or RBD
Consultants to contact directly to ask for supplementary information
Ecologic, VITO, ACTeon, University of Turku, LENOCI.
Questionnaire made available in advance.
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

10. State of play of survey (I)MS
Consultation contact points
Information consultation process
Significant water managemetn issues AT BE
No contact for Brussels
No info for Brussels region
No document available for Brussels region BG CY CZ
No contact provided yet DE DK EE EL
Consultation process on work programmes and SWMI has not taken place
No documents available ES
No info available for:
Andalucía RBD
No document available for:
Júcar RBD
Galicia Costa RBD
Islas Canarias RBD
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

11. State of play of survey (II)MS
Consultation contact points
Information consultation process
Significant water managemetn issues FI
No contact provided yet
No info available for:
Aland islands
No document available for: FR IT
No info found by consultant.
No documents found by consultant. IE HU LT LU
No document available LV MT
(Note! Letter sent by WD on on Malta’s WFD consultation process)
(no official SWMI; only a note realised in a Twinning project)
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

12. State of play of survey (III)MS
Consultation contact points
Information consultation process
Significant water management issues NL PL
No info available for:
RWMA Warszawa
RWMA Wroclaw
No document available for:
RBDs Pregolya, Swieza, Danube, Dniestr, Ucker, Elbe, Jarft, Nemunas. PT RO SI
No contact provided yet SK SE UK
RBD Gibraltar
Tot
14 contact points given
13 contact point missing
20 information found
7 information gaps
18 information found
9 information gaps
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

13. Preparing the conference
Analysis of SWMIs
Identify significant water management issues as raised by MS
Discussion on strategic water management issues…
First overview of draft RBMP
Consultants to check key issues in the draft RBMP – exemptions, types of measures, etc
However NOT a first COM opinion or comment on the draft RBMP
Invite stakeholders to the conference to give their first impressions of the draft RBMP
Questionnaire made available in advance.
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

14. Conference document Consultation (14.1)
How do Member States try encourage active involvement – media, meetings, questionnaires?
How have views been taken on board in the consultation?
Significant water management issues (14.2)
Driving forces, pressures, impacts – and measures ?
Key trends and conclusions drawn on strategic water management issues at European level
Draft RBMP (14.3)
plans and or experiences so far
Key issues like use of exemptions, types of measures.
Media reports
Case studies – good or bad practices ?
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

15. Flash Eurobarometer on Water
To ask questions to the general public of their awareness of the process and on the perceived problems linked to water
To check if MS requirement to “actively involve” interested parties and the public has worked
To ask a question on the perceived impact of climate change on water – also linked to the CC Adaptation White paper
To – with the Flash EB report – raise the awareness in media and public on the ongoing consultation process, with a view to increase participation

16. water.europa.eu/participate/
Webpages
water.europa.eu/participate/
DG ENV Europa pages > downloadable posters/postcards and other campaign resources
CIRCA>WFD>public library>National implementation documents > Article 14 :
Links, workprogrammes, SWMIs and draft RBMP
WISE static pages – update to ensure more userfriendliness
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

17. (e-) POSTERS
and
(e-) POSTCARDS

18. Water Directors are invited to
Take note of the state of play on legal action
Take note of the preparation of the Commission report on monitoring programmes
Take note of the preparations for the Water Conference
Provide contact points for public participation issues at MS and/or RBD level if not done yet
Endorse the data collection on groundwater threshold values for the preparation of Commission report