1. Scientific Support to Policies
EAQC-WISE European Analytical Quality Control in support of the Water Framework Directive via the Water Information System for Europe EAQC-WISE supporting the QA/QC Commission decision development Co-ordinator: BRGM (Fr) Scientific co-ordinator: JRC/IRMM
Kick off meeting December 2005 1

2. General Context / Link between several actions in parallel
A Common Strategy for Implementation
aiming to a Common understanding and approach
Elaboration of guidance on key challenges / exchanges of good practices on specific issues / development of legally binding documents
6thFP Research projects in Priority “Scientific Support to Policies”
such as EAQC-WISE (European Analytical Quality Control), SWIFT-WFD
Developing scientific knowledge in direct support to (water) policy needs
Timeframe of the implementation of the WFD
monitoring programme to be operational by the end of 2006
first River Basin Management Plan: 2009 (updates every 6 years)
Programme of measures: 2012, then Follow-up of the efficiency of measures
Environmental objectives to be reached in 2015
Kick off meeting December 2005

3. QA/QC Commission decision development
Necessity
Timing of implementation of WFD
Implementation of the WFD based on measurement results
Need for ensuring data quality and comparability at EU level
Notably with regard to the legal compliance regime
QA/QC Commission decision development
Is a cross-cutting document (SW, MW, GW) on criteria regarding the performance of analytical methods
will pose the foundation concerning analytical issues to ensure that QA/QC principles established under existing standards (ISO17025) will be mandatory within the WFD monitoring framework.
Intend to be pragmatic: mimimum requirement
has to be available before the start of the WFD monitoring programmes (end of 2006)
is a legally-binding text which has to be developed with Member States and with support from RTD experts
Kick off meeting December 2005

4. A Step further…. EAQC-WISE European Analytical Quality Control in support of the Water Framework Directive via the Water Information System for Europe
provide the scientific basis for developing and maintaining a sustainable pan-EU QA/QC system for water and related soil monitoring data that can be deployed in an integrated way at the regional, national and European level
to ensure the reliability and comparability of these data
in support of the Water Framework Directive and the future EU soil policy related-monitoring programmes
Priority should be given to priority pollutants in the case of surface waters, and to pollutants for which groundwater threshold values will have to be established under the new Groundwater Directive.
Kick off meeting December 2005

5. 6th FP “Scientific Support to Policies” project
EAQC-WISE European Analytical Quality Control in support of the Water Framework Directive via the Water Information System for Europe
6th FP “Scientific Support to Policies” project
Coordinator : BRGM (FR) & Scientific coordinator : JRC-IRMM
17 partners from 10 countries : FR, AT, UK, SL, SK, DE, IT, NL, PL, SE
Start date: 1st December 2005 ; duration 3 years
Objectives
To study different structures & existing QA/QC system at national and EU level
To identify gaps and needs for additional research and standardisation
To derive a recommended approach of a QA/QC system that is likely to work at Member State, at river basin and at European scale.
To assess the impact of such a recommended AQC system.
To check the applicability and validity by means of case studies
To derive a communication system to efficiently link scientific and policy-making communities
To produce a sustainable dissemination mechanism of reliable training appropriate to laboratories engaged in the analysis of matrices associated with WFD implementation
Kick off meeting December 2005

6. EAQC-WISE
short-term objective (within the first 6 months of the project)
a review and consolidation of existing knowledge and activities at EU level should be undertaken while establishing links to all relevant on-going RTD projects and networks, tool developers (proficiency testing schemes or reference materials), training facilities and policy-implementers.
This phase should lead to an identification of any gaps in knowledge (research and standardisation needs)
In the medium-term ( )
activities should be developed to fill in the gaps identified above, e.g. developing new monitoring strategies (with test cases linked to the WFD Pilot River Basin network), proficiency testing schemes, reference materials, focused training activities etc.
In the long term (beyond 2008)
The project outputs should provide the scientific basis for developing and maintaining a sustainable quality control system, which would coordinate tailor-made proficiency testing activities, reference material production, research and training at the EU level in support of water and soil policies, with regular exchanges of good practices.
Kick off meeting December 2005

7. EAQC-WISE Progress / short-term objective
Contribution to review and drafting of CMA QA/QC paper
Opportunity of Integration of some elements from EAQC-WISE in the current CMA drafts
Review and consolidation of existing knowledge and activities at EU level
Kick off meeting December 2005

8. Enquiry at EU level through a common questionnaire
EAQC-WISE Progress / short-term objective Review and consolidation of existing knowledge and activities at EU level
Enquiry at EU level through a common questionnaire
Target people: monitoring labs, competent authorities including PRB authorities, accredited bodies
Clusters of questions addressing certain issues in order to disclose gaps and needs (e.g. Sampling practices, knowledge about uncertainty, checking AQC issues assignment of responsabilities ….)
Links / interactions with other RTD projects and networks dealing with:
AQC schemes
specific WFD matrices
the implementation of WFD
Kick off meeting December 2005

9. On-going or recently completed RTD projects dealing with AQC schemes
EAQC-WISE Progress / short-term objective Links / interactions with other RTD projects & networks
On-going or recently completed RTD projects dealing with AQC schemes
METROPOLIS, SWIFT, NORMAN, HORIZONTAL, EVISA, QUASH, QUACH, QUA-NAS
Inventory of European RTD networks, projects or protocols dealing with specific WFD matrices
Soils, sediments and suspended matters: SEDNET, AQUATERRA
Ground water: BASELINE, BRIDGE
Coastal and transitional waters: QUASIMEME, ICES, OSPAR
Drinking water (surface water used for production of): WEKNOW
Review of research projects related to the implementation of WFD for:
Surface water (River Basin Commissions): Danube Elbe Rhine Odra
Transitional waters: The Netherlands Danube Delta
Coastal waters: Baltic Sea North Sea Mediterranean Sea Black Sea
Ground waters: The Netherlands France Austria
Kick off meeting December 2005

10. A special attention will be paid to: Sampling
EAQC-WISE Progress / short-term objective WP2 – Research and standardisation needs
A special attention will be paid to:
Sampling
Research for analysis of “difficult” WFD Priority Substances
Research into minimum requirements on quality of data
feeding statistical programmes and databases
Harmonisation of data reporting (minimum QA/QC
requirements)
Research into traceability for "on-site" measurements
Research into the problem of interaction between soils and water for QA/QC aspects : gaps in leaching/extraction tests
Usability of WFD data obtained under different monitoring schemes …
Kick off meeting December 2005

11. EAQC-WISE Progress / short-term objective
Preliminary draft report on the state of the art of QA/QC in environmental monitoring and identification of gaps in knowledge
 May 2006
Decision about the direction to be followed for the QA/QC to be recommended / interaction with stakeholders and end users
 Workshop in November 2006, Paris
Kick off meeting December 2005

12. Thanks for your attention !
Kick off meeting December 2005