1. Commission activities
Water Directors meeting
Malmö, 30 Nov – 1 Dec 2009
Jorge Rodriguez Romero
WFD Team Coordinator
DG Environment, European Commission

2. Contents Priority substances Water scarcity and droughts Agriculture
Assessment of measures in draft plans
Article 38 RDR implementing rules
Legal issues
Article 4.7
Other issues
Urban Waste Water Directive implementation report
Quality of chemical monitoring
Streamlining monitoring Nitrates / WFD / SoE

3. Priority substances
Annex III EQS Directive, POPs, REACH, PBTs
EQS setting
+2000
subst.
~80
subst.
Modelling-based
ranking
Selection of substances to prepare individual dossiers
+1000
subst.
~40
subst.
Monitoring-based
ranking
Preparation of dossiers (COM and MS)
Expert review by EG
Proposal of substances
~200
subst.
Risk assessments chemicals, pesticides, biocides
Impact assessment, assessment of control measures, etc
Jan 2010
Feb-Apr 2010
May-Oct 2010
Expert Group chaired by JRC/UK, reporting to WG E, participation of stakeholders and DE, DK, FR, IT, NL, SE, UK
Objective: Commission proposal January 2011
Water Directors are invited to make available resources at the expert level during 2010 to support the preparation of substance specific dossiers

4. Water Scarcity and Droughts report
Contents:
Assessment of seven policy options of the 2007 WSD Communication
Progress in countries and affected sectors
Findings:
Many measures have been implemented and actions carried out but much more effort is needed
The priorities of the Communication remain valid
The report is expected to be adopted in early 2010
As part of the preparation for the water scarcity and droughts policy review in 2012 the Commission will launch a number of preparatory activities in order to compile and supplement existing knowledge.
The Yearly report will be part of the basis for the policy review and therefore of main importance
Only BE, CZ, IT, FI, AT, LT, DE, PT, UK, PL, FR, MT, CY, ES and LT reported in 2009 (15 MS)

5. Agriculture: assessment of measures in draft river basin management plans
Based on the assessment of 125 draft plans
Assessment of main pressures
diffuse pollution by nitrate (92%) or by phosphorus (90%), pesticides (74%), morphological deteriorations (50%), water abstraction for irrigation (28%)
In 50% of the plans, agriculture is mentioned as a reason for exemptions
Most commonly applied measures
buffer strips/zones (66%), training & advisory (46%), reduction in spraying (38%), storage capacity for manure (33%), creation of wetlands (26%), catch crops (23%), re-meandering of streams (16%), spraying technologies (14%), water saving irrigation practices (11%), water storage capacity increases (10%), cooperative agreements (10%)
Only 31% of the plans refer to the specific issue of water pricing in agriculture.
Information on recovery of the costs of water services is only made in a few plans (18%)
Focus on input reduction
Unclear if they will be voluntary or mandatory.
No link with the Rural Development Programmes
The area or the length covered by a measure is not reported in most cases.
Cost-effectiveness reported as carried out in about 2/3 of the plans
Lack of information on the costs of measures and control of implementation

6. Agriculture: Article 38 RDR implementing rules
Provisions of article 38 of the Rural Development Policy:
The aim is to compensate farmers for the disadvantages resulting from WFD implementation
 It does not cover voluntary measures or investments
Draft rules under discussion with MS in the Rural Development Committee:
Support limited to disadvantages related to specific requirements:
introduced for the purpose of implementing the WFD + going beyond the level of protection at the time the WFD was adopted + going beyond cross compliance requirements and standards + imposing major changes in type of land use and/or major restrictions in farming practice resulting in a significant loss of income.
Total amount of the support: 500€/ha/year for the five first years, 200€/ha/year after (with the possibility of derogation for duly justified cases). Minimum: 50€/ha.
Operations eligible under Art. 38 should be excluded from the scope of Art. 31 (meeting standards) in order to avoid overlaps.
Adoption planned by the end of the year

7. Legal issues: consultations of draft planst State of play November 2009
On time?
17 Member States finished: AT, BG, CZ, DE, FI, FR, IE, HU, LU, LV, LT, NL, PL, RO, SK, SE, UK + NO
3 Member States consultations still ongoing : EE, IT, SI.
2 Partial consultation : BE (not started in 1 out of 4), ES (not started in 22 out of 24)
Not yet started ! DK, EL, MT, PT - CY (Feb-Sep 2010)
(Updates received from AT,CY, EE, EL, FI, HU, LT, MT, NL, RO, SI, SE). 7

8. WFD Article 4.7: Main findings of the screening of the draft river basin management plans
Article 4.7 rarely used in Draft RBMP, although developments are underway in many countries
Commissions receives information/complaints and will establish a database for comparison with RBM Plans
Earlier agreed guidance:
Assessment of impacts should include
WFD quality elements
Relevant water bodies
Cumulative effects
Assessment in planning phase/early stage:
weighing of benefits of project and WFD benefits in early stage, iterative process
assessment of alternatives when they are still available
inclusion in RBMP

9. Urban Waste Water Directive implementation report
Published in August 2009
Available at
Based on data reported by 18 Member States in 2007/2008
High degree of inadequate or no reporting
Compliance rate for the 11 MS affected by the 2005 deadline
Collecting systems 99%
Secondary treatment 86%
More stringent treatment 85%

10. Assessment of the quality of chemical monitoring
COM is analysing the quality of the monitoring data that was submitted by Member States in the context of the prioritisation exercise
In addition two reports are available already from the two Chemical Monitoring Activity On-site Trials
The purpose is
To provide feedback to Member States on how their chemical monitoring compares with others (anonymity will be guaranteed)
Two assess the potential gaps and serve as a basis for discussion on future needs
Linked to the reference to a potential “Community Laboratory Centre” in the mandate of the WG E Chemical Aspects
No action will be taken without further discussion with Member States !

11. Streamlining monitoring under Nitrates, WFD and State of the Environment
Letter sent to Water Directors on Friday 27 November
COM has analysed the monitoring stations used by each Member State under WFD, Nitrates and State of the Environment
The purpose is to
Identify potential for integration and streamlining
Provide feedback to Member States and understand better what the current situation is and what are the intentions for the near future
COM will prepare a questionnaire to be sent to Water Directors in the first quarter of 2010

12. The Water Directors are invited to
Take note of the information provided
On consultations of the draft RBMP, provide updated information about any recent development
On priority substances, make available resources at the expert level during 2010 to support the preparation of substance specific dossiers