1. Legal issues in WFD implementation WD meeting 16 June Jorge Rodríguez Romero, Unit D.2, DG Environment, European Commission

2. Contents State of play infringement procedures
Compliance checking Article 8 monitoring programmes
Follow-up from Commission implementation report 2007
Bilateral meetings
In-depth assessment of Article 5 economic analysis
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

3. State of play infringements
Transposition including Water Services
9 launched and 9 more in preparation
Order responds to resources issues not to importance of conformity problems
Non-communication monitoring networks: two cases in preparation
Article 5 non-communication: all cases closed (Greece delivered report after Court ruling)
Article 3: one case before the Court (Spain)
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

4. Compliance checking Article 8 monitoring networks
On-going work based on concept paper presented to Working Group Reporting – useful comments received
The work will be the basis of Commission report – to be finalised end of 2008
Assessment of key issues
Objectives of monitoring programmes
Comprehensiveness
Status of developments of methods
Selection of quality elements
Frequency of monitoring
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

5. First impressions compliance checking monitoring networks
Some very good examples
Some problems detected
Some MS do not report basic information such as design considerations or methods used
Lack of integration with other networks
Diversity reflects different realities but also different understanding of the concepts of the Directive (e.g. surveillance vs operational) – CIS monitoring guidance unevenly followed
In some cases monitoring effort is clearly insufficient – e.g. minimum frequencies cannot deliver a comprehensive and reliable picture of water status in the RBD
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

6. Follow-up of Commission 2007 WFD implementation report
The Commission is still willing to hold bilateral meetings with some Member States
In-depth economic analysis
Addresses one of the weak points identified in 2007 report
Looks for good practices
Identification of areas where further dialogue and information exchange with MS may be beneficial
Results will be used prioritise some areas for compliance checking on RBMP
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

7. Some topics assessed Consideration of water services and water uses
Cost recovery
Financial cost consideration
Integration of taxes and subsidies
Environmental and resource costs
Baseline scenario/projections
Preparing cost effectiveness analysis
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

8. Overall preliminary impressions in-depth assessment economic analysis
Quality is diverse – but generally too poor, both based on economic analysis requirements, but also as a basis for economics integration in RBMP
Mixture of poor reporting (more work done, but not transparently reported) and/or poor analysis
In some cases: lack of effort, economic analysis consisting of a couple of pages with general information
Low level of technical links between economic analysis and pressures & impact analysis: crucial for integrated RBMP
Level of detail reported often insufficient for the preparation of implementation of esp. article 9
Few MS have performed well in all areas assessed
A number of “good practices” however identified…
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

9. Proposals for way forward – economics
The Commission will finalise the analysis soon
The results could be presented and discussed at a workshop in autumn 2008 (tentatively end September) which could also cover
Exchange of information on key topics e.g. measures linked to Art. 9
Role of CIS on economic issues in view of first RBMP
Present and discuss relevant EU projects (Aquamoney, handbook economic valuation of impacts on water…)
Reporting sheets economics in RBMP
This would include the renewal of network on water economic experts - call to be issued to Water Directors
Water Directors are invited to give their views on this proposal for a workshop
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.