1. Water Information System for Europe (WISE) Concept and state-of-play
BMU “Wasserblick/WISE Workshop”
Brussels, 15/16 February 2005
Water Information System for Europe (WISE)
Concept and state-of-play

2. Introduction – current obligations
Topic
Water Framework
Bathing Water
Exchange of Information
Urban Waste Water Treatment Nitrates Pollution
Drinking Water
Sampling and Analysis Meth.
Dangerous Substances Daughter
Surface Water
Fish water
Shellfish
Groundwater
Dangerous Substances
Legislation
Dir. 2000/60/EC
Dir. 76/160/EEC
Dec. 77/795/EEC*
Dir. 91/271/EEC
Dir. 91/676/EEC
Dir. 80/778/EEC ->
Dir. 98/83/EEC
Dir. 79/869/EEC*
Dir. 82/176/EEC, 83/513/EEC, 84/156/EEC, 84/491/EEC, 86/280/EEC,
Dir.75/440/EEC / 79/869/EEC*
Dir. 78/659/EEC*
Dir. 79/923/EEC*
Dir. 80/68/EEC*
Dir. 76/464/EEC*
Not covered by SRD / Covered by SRD / * To be repealed by WFD - Out SRD

3. Water-related reporting requirements

4. Introduction
Water Information System for Europe (WISE) defined and agreed through concept paper
21st century approach for water reporting phasing out the existing, inefficient paper-based reporting
One conceptual approach fulfilling several purposes/needs
Aims at developing the water component in a wider system of environmental reporting

5. WISE aims
Efficient management of all water-related information at EU level
Coherence between various reporting mechanisms and needs
Acces to information / data for various purposes and needs

6. Current situation Information Users EEA Information COM Information
Public/
Stake- holders
Member States
EEA
Internat.
Conven-
tions
Information
COM
Information
Information
Information
Information
Member States
Data
Data treatment

7. Purposes for reporting
Common vision
Information Users
Policy
Effectiveness
Public/
Stake- holders
Member States
EEA
International
Conventions
WISE
COM
SoE
Trends An.
Data treatment
/ aggregation
Compliance
checking
Member States
Data
Purposes for reporting
Drivers for data collection

8. Common objective
The EU bodies (DG ENV, JRC, ESTAT and EEA) and EU25 Member States, Norway, Bulgaria and Romania agreed on the Water Directors’ meeting in November 2003 the:
“Development of a new, comprehensive, shared
European data and information management system for water, including river basins (WISE).
The system should be based on the concept paper and should be fully implemented by 2010”

9. What is WISE?
The “Water Information System for Europe” is:
an idea/vision (2002)
a concept (2003) – concept paper published on internet
a process (2003 …) – Working Group D on Reporting
a co-operation (between EU bodies and MS)
a set of tools (GIS, prototype, RTD, …)
an internet and “single entry” portal (wise.jrc.cec.eu.int)
a definition of reporting requirements
a gateway for (public) information (2006)

10. Water Information System for Europe
WISE elements
Water Information System for Europe
WISE concept
Process
Tools
Components
WISE reporting
sheets
WISE prototype
WISE RTD web
WG Reporting
WISE GIS
WISE Compliance
WISE GIS experts
Reference data
WISE / EIONET
Water

11. WISE process
Close co-ordination between European bodies (ENV, JRC, ESTAT and EEA)
Collaboration with Member States
Spin off to linked activities (INSPIRE, GMES, env. Reporting, RTD)
Inclusion of new technologies
Development of WISE tools (reference data, internet prototype, GIS)
Agreement of reporting requirements (reporting sheets)

12. WISE – state-of-play
input prototype online
WFD reporting 2004 and 2005 (Art. 3+5) defined
WFD 2004 reporting tool online
5 MS completed WISE reporting 2004
WISE GIS tool under development
Interface for RTD information under development

14. WISE - next steps and outlook
Development of 2005 reporting input template
Development of output module (restricted and public-to be launched in 2006)
Preparation of WFD reporting guidance on monitoring and RBMP
Further development of WISE GIS
Integration of other water databases: intercalibration, UWWT, flooding etc.
Closer integration of EIONET Water
Further development of RTD interface

15. Wider environmental reporting
Standardised reporting directive – revision under discussion
INSPIRE – Commission proposal adopted
Processes under other directives/policies (e.g. IPPC-EPER and PRTR)
Ideas of the EEA, ESTAT, JRC, others
Discussion in EPRG (Environmental Policy Review Group – MS Environmental Director Generals)

16. WISE in the wider context WISE
Environmental Reporting/
EIONET/INSPIRE
X-Cutting Issues such as biodiversity and health
Air
Soil
Water
WISE
Agri-
culture
Climate
Others …

17. “Useful data/information”
aggregation rules
quality checks
communication tools between levels and layers
comparative analysis tools
INSPIRE,
WISE
EU wide
Water-related data / hydrography
Other environmental compatrm. (soil, air)
Driving forces (e.g. agriculture, transport)
1 Member State
EGM
1 river basin
(district)
1 sub-basin
Regional
and local
tools
1 water body
1 monitoring station
Tools
1 sample
Layers
biology
pollutants
physico.
morphol.

18. Opportunities Long term vision Linkages INSPIRE, GMES, RTD Policy tool
Different interests of EU bodies (ENV, JRC, EEA, EUROSTAT), WISE based on joint EU position

19. Obstacles
Member States are reactive not proactive (not yet convinced that the system works)
Compatibility with existing (national) systems
Heterogenity in technical awareness and access to budgets
Heterogenity in water problems (salinization, eutrofication, flooding, drought, dams etc)
Harmonisation vs. diversity of approaches
Timelines tight
Reporting authority: MS
but reporting unit: river basin district
Dealing with many Community languages, cultures and definitions
Timing of INSPIRE/New Reporting Directive

20. Summary WISE is the best way forward for water-related reporting
Joint process of EU bodies and MS is crucial for success
WISE conceptually fully integrated in wider environmental reporting discussion (incl. INSPIRE)
WISE can serve as a test case/pilot but details need further elaboration/clarification