1. CIS-Workshop on River Basin Management Plans 8 and 9 May 2006 Bonn
Working Group 3 – Drawing-up an international RBMP
Examples of international river basin districts
Rhine
Heide Jekel/Patrick Weingertner
Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Germany)/Agence de l‘ Eau Rhin-Meuse (France)

2. Outlines
State of play on cooperation in the international Rhine river basin district
Current discussion points for drafting the international RBMP
Work plan
Draft RBMP structure
Data management
Reporting

3. WFD Coordination Committee 2001
Rhine River Basin
River Basin:
Ca km²
Ca. 58 Mio. inhabitants
New ICPR Treaty 2003
CH, F, D, L, NL, EU
Only the river Rhine
WFD Coordination Committee 2001
F, D, L, NL + A, B (Wallonie), FL
CH (-), Italy (-), but cooperate
EU (-)
WFD river basin coordination
A level (international)
B level: 9, partly international sub management units

6. Experience on art. 5 report Changes in the RBMP approach
Part A/Parts B-approach was successful in principle
Therefore: RBMP will also be divided in part A and parts B
Coordination of art. 5 report was too complicated and time consuming in some sub units (parts B)
Mixture of bottom up and top down at the same time on different levels
Consequence for RBMP preparation: Streamlining the work on this level
More national approach
Discussion/coordination only of the important part B issues, orientated towards the important questions for the river basin

7. How to reach efficient common work
To identify the significant issues and challenges with international importance, coming from the initial characterisation (roof report)
To agree on objectives (boundary waterbodies and up/down stream)
To fulfill the issues with appropriate measures
To base common work on national works

8. Significant water management issues identified in the Rhine basin
To restore free migration through the rivers and to increase the habitat diversity along the waters
To reduce diffuse pollution, in particular from nutrients, plant protective agents, metals, dangerous substances derived from historic pollution
To further reduce point source pollution, in particular due to industrial and municipal inputs
To harmonize water uses and environmental objectives set out in the WFD: navigation, hydropower, flood protection and others

10. RBMP preparation in the Rhine basin
Work plan 2005 – 2009
Step by step description of tasks/products, dates, responsible groups, coordination needs
Including comparability issues (methods, criteria, monitoring results, evaluation, definition of status, derogations …)
Discussion in the responsible working/expert group
Work shops
Discussions have only started in the technical groups
Plan will be transferred into a project management tool
Better control of tasks, dates
RBMP structure
Intensive discussion in the small strategy group
Second draft

11. Aim of the management plan roof part for an IRBD
Monitoring: to define sites, to harmonize criteria, to identify protected aeras
Objectives to reach: for boundary water bodies (good status and good ecological potential)
Programmes of measures: measures for the significant common issues, in combining efficiency, feasibility and costs, definition of supplementary measures
Public information and consultation: synthesis of implemented actions

12. RBMP Rhine – Structure I
RBMP Structure (state of play)
General principles of RBMP production
One part A, 9 parts B
Top down
significant water management issues, how to tackle them basin wide
Bottom up
relevant measures for the river basin at national and sub unit level

13. RBMP Rhine – Structure II
General principles of RBMP production
Coordination/harmonisation
Monitoring (e.g. monitoring sites)
Objectives (focus: water bodies on the frontiers)
Programmes of measures (identification of measures with regard to the 4 significant water management issues)
Table with the contents of part A and parts B
Basis: Structure of Annex VII WFD
Two relevant threads run through the table
Water bodies
Focus: Water bodies (part A: on the frontiers), where special coordination will have taken place (monitoring, objectives, measures)
Significant water management issues

14. RBMP Rhine – Data and information management
GIS expert group
Wasserblick
Common internet platform to facilitate data management and reporting
National
International
Wasserblick on international level
Has already been used for the art. 5 report (harmonised data templates)
Will be used for the monitoring programmes
Will be used for the RBMP (?)

15. RBMP Rhine - Reporting Reporting is a national task
Each Rhine State has reported art. 5 report part A and the parts B as far as concerned to the Commission
Reporting Sheets for Wise
Only national
Each State reports separately
RBMP Rhine will also be produced as text version
Parts A and B
Important for the public and its participation
To prove coordination requirements
Report them also to the Commission? Yes

16. Open Questions
Not discussed yet or not in detail on international level (Rhine)
If results of international coordination leads to different results than results from national or EU discussions
Level of detail of the international RBMP in order to have most added value to national RBMPs
Precise new engagements to solve the significant water management issues
Possibility that one country will take/pay measures in other countries
These questions are asked too early, at least for the Rhine