1. Draft Mandate and Proposed Approach for the Drafting Group on
Mixing Zones
Madalina DAVID - Unit D.2 – Protection of Water and Marine Environment
John Batty – Environment Agency UK

2. Introduction Timetable for the EQS Directive:
Adoption of the Rapporteurs’s Reports on the Common Position in the ENVI Committee Meeting
RECOMMENDATION FOR SECOND READING.doc
06 May 2008
2nd reading in the Plenary Meeting of the European Parliament
17 June 2008
Commission Communication on the 2nd reading
17 July 2008
Approval by Council
23 June 2008
Publication
End of 2008
Transposition (Art. 12)
18 months

3. Objectives
to support WG E  the CIS of the WFD 2000/60/EC, establishing activities on mixing zones
will focus on the development of a technical guidance for the identification of mixing zones  Article 4(4) of the EQS Directive
the guidance will be tested using different types of water categories with different hydromorphological elements

4. Organisation technical meetings: decided on an ad hoc basis/scheduled
the progress report will be presented at the WG E meetings (twice/year: spring and autumn)
the finalisation of the TGD: end of 2009 and the adoption by the Article 21 Committee: Spring 2010
the Drafting Group: UK, NL, FR, DK and DG ENV. The leader of the DG’s activities is UK/NL and the co-leader is DG ENV. The leader will present the updates to WG E. In the next step the progress reports will be presented to the SCG and the Water Directors.

5. Links with other activities
Drafting Group on Mixing zones will work under umbrella of the WG E   CMA
Consultation of expert groups with similar activities:
international marine conventions (OSPAR, Helsinki, Barcelona)
international river conventions (Danube, Rhine)
Community legislations (e.g. REACH, IPPC Directive, Pesticide/Biocide Directive)

6. Type and intensity of work
Contribution to the drafting of technical guidance:
ad hoc meetings
exchanges for sharing experience
collection and compilation of the information
correcting text
discussions on specific issues
the Commission’s consultants shall support the Drafting Group
WG E members are invited to contribute to this work

7. Timetable: Mixing Zone Guidance I
Initial meeting Paris
September 2008
Presentation of approach to WG-E
October 2008
SCG and Water Directors agree mandate
November 2008
Drafting group 1st working draft to DG Environment
December 2008
Revisions and consultation with WG E
February 2009
Presentation of consolidated 1st draft to WG-E meeting
March 2009
Start the testing of the guidance
Amend document to reflect Member State written comments
June 2009

8. Timetable: Mixing Zone Guidance II
Final version agreed at WG-E
October 2009
SCG and Water Directors adopt final version
November 2009
Article 21 Committee
/Spring 2010
Transposition of Daughter Directive
June 2010
Use of Guidance for RBMP2
December 2015

9. Mixing Zone Guidance Proposed Contents I
1.0
Executive Summary
2.0
Introduction
3.0
Definitions
What is a mixing zone
When to define
How to define
4.0
Proposed approach –decision tree
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
Freshwater Mixing Zones
Principles for determining significance
Determining the extent of the mixing zone
Determining acceptability
Transboundary pollution

10. Mixing Zone Guidance Proposed Contents II
6.0
6.1
6.2
6.3
Saltwater Mixing Zones
Principles for determining significance
Determining the extent of the mixing zone
Determining acceptability
7.0
Dealing with multiple discharges
8.0
8.1
8.2
8.3
Strategies to reduce mixing zones
Programmes of Measures and Pollution Control
Discharge Characteristics
Design and construction of outfalls
9.0
Conclusions and recommendations
10.0
Annexes (Frequently asked questions/ worked examples/ Software and tools)
11.0
References

11. Working Group E Support
Working Group E is requested to endorse the draft mandate and the proposed approach of the drafting group
Working Group E Members are asked to provide expressions of interest, by 22 October 2008, to:
contribute to the active work of drafting guidance
test draft guidance once available (March 2009 onward)