1. Research as a new activity of the CIS WG 2B
Manuel Menéndez
Scientific and Technical Coordinator
Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos del CEDEX

2. Strategic Coordination Group “Integrated River Basin Management”
CIS since beginning of 2003
Water Directors
Chair: Presidencia, Co-chair: Comission
Expert Advisory Forum
1) Priority substances
2) Aguas subterráneas Chair: Commission
Art. 21 Comité
Strategic Coordination Group
Chair: Commission
Working Group 2.A
“Ecological Status”
Lead: D, UK
Working Group 2.B
“Integrated River Basin Management”
Lead: F,SP
Working Group 2.C
“Groundwater”
(after end of EAF GW)
Lead: Comision Co-lead: A
Working Group 2.D
“EAF Reporting”
Lead: Comision

3. Integrated river basin management
Working group 2B (Since beginning 2003)
Presented to WD in June 2004:
Economic Analysis
Baseline scenario
Cost recovery
Eco I
Inf sheets
Eco II
Env. costs.
In progress
Pilot River Basins
From in. Ch
to RBMPs
In progress
Workshop and Plenary meeeting
21-22 October 2004

4. Working Group 2B. Future Activities (2005-2006)
France, Spain with specific activity leaders as The Netherlands and United Kingdom
The Netherlands, Spain
Art. 5 and
research
Pilot River Basins
Agriculture
United Kingdom
Cost-
efficiency
PRB leaders. Technical Secretary: JRC
France

5. Working Group 2B. Future Activities (2005-2006)
Now in process of elaborating mandates (information sheets) for each activity:
Recommendations from WD meeting in Dublin (June 2004)
Meeting of “brainstorming group”: F,D,N,S,UK, Comission, JRC in Brussels (8 Sept)
PRBs discussion in Ghent. (4-5 October)
General discussion in plenary meeting in Paris (21-22 October)
Presentation and discussion in SCG ( October)

6. WG 2B Activity 1: exchange of information and highlighting best practices and research needs on key issues of IRBM European relevance
Article 5 reports (including PRBs experiences) are a good basis to know major issues in order to meet the objectives of the WFD
For each problem identified it is foreseen to define activities that may merit a EU approach in the way of reference products: information papers, information exchange activities, etc.
The process will serve, as well, to develop an overview of knowledge gaps that need further research

7. EU-wide resolving approach
Be as specific as the level needs or as general as the level can be
Certain issues can be dealt with optimally at EU level

8. Role of PRBs
PRBs may pick up a subject identified as a key issue and contribute to prepare a EU wide reference (information papers, information exchange activities including workshops, etc).
A reference product can be tested by PRBs according their specific characteristics/interests for example:
Defining ways to improve the processes for validadtion of tools and methodologies
Providing information on restrictions in the use of research results as lack of available data, trained staff, etc

9. Specific activities in 2005
January-March 2005: Collection of provisional topics from all Member States
April 2005: Workshop for “technical” endorsement of the list and “pyramid check”. Plenary meeting and consequences in other WPs of WG 2B (as PRBs). Workshop for first tentative translation to research topics.
May-September 2005: Discussion activities between WFD implementers (including PRBs) and research community to translate WFD demands into research topics
October 2005: Discussion of results in plenary meeting of WG2B.
November 2005: Presentation to SCG
December 2005: Presentation to WD