1. The Blueprint and Council Conclusions:
Essential to address the challenges that threaten the water ecosystems and their services on which society depends
Proposed solutions include assessment of the costs and benefits of water measures , further implementation of the concept of payment for ecosystem services and the promotion of green infrastructure, and guidance for the uptake of NWRM
Member States were urged to '' improve implementation of the WFD and other relevant EU legislation and reduce hydro-morphological pressures in river basins using whenever possible green infrastructure, best available techniques and mitigation measures, thus reducing the EU’s vulnerability to floods and droughts, supporting biodiversity and soil fertility as well as improving the status of waters.''

2. Greening of CAP pillar as of 2014
Specific Blueprint objectives
Voluntary
Regulation
Conditionality
Funding priority
Maximisation of the use of Natural Water Retention Measures (Green Infrastructure)
CIS Guidance by 2014
Greening of CAP pillar as of 2014
Structural & Cohesion Funds & EIB loans ( )
Implementation of ecological flow
Application of target setting
 CIS guidance Water accounts/Ecological flows by 2014
CIS guidance target setting by 2014
Reduction of flood risk
Through Green Infrastructures
European Flood Awareness System
Flood Risk Management Plans by 2015
Reduction of drought risk
Through Green Infrastructures European drought observatory in
Enforcement of WFD requirements (on-going)
Better calculation of costs and benefits

3. NWRM ESS Physical Impacts WFD objectives:
improving soil’s water storage capacity
limiting soil erosion
increasing groundwater recharge
conserving water in natural systems
decreasing flow velocity, controlling runoff
reducing flood peaks
Nutrient retention, dilution, and remediation
ESS
flood hazard reduction
water flow regulation
water purification,
water provisioning
soil quality improvement,
provision of habitat
cultural services
Air quality improvement
Climate regulation.
WFD objectives:
water purification services,
Improvement:
physico-chemical,
HYMO
biological quality elements
FD objectives:
Promoting non-structural initiatives
Reducing likelihood/extend of flooding,
Reduce flooding consequences,

4. Pilot Project: Integration of NWRM RB management (launched)
a detailed assessment of effectiveness, costs and benefits of natural water retention measures, supporting further scenario modelling
further development and maintenance of a catalogue of measures and case studies,
to be integrated into WISE
targeted information and communication events in a representative selection of river basins with operators and stakeholders
a contribution to the WFD Common Implementation Strategy and to the 2015 River Basin Management Plans.

5. Study: Integration of ESA with WFD and FD Implementation
Will feed into NWRM Guidance and Cost and Benefit Guidance for CIS
Develop guidance for how to take ecosystem services on board in the next WFD planning cycles and as part of the implementation of the Floods Directive. Involves:
Development of a framework that can help river basin managers select measures that will optimise the delivery for ecosystem services and also deliver the objectives of the WFD and FD

6. Support Policy Development for Integration of ESA with WFD and FD Implementation
Interviews with selected river basin planners (testing guidance):
Preliminary results
Organisation of expert workshops and interactions with CIS groups (formulating guidance) First Workhsop 3rd / 4th June
Discussion forum

7. ARUP, DHI, COWI

8. Links between Ecological Status and Ecosystem Services (ESS) provision
- At what level do you expect the linkages to be made?
Given the ‘one out – all out’ principle, it may be difficult to link Ecological status to ESS provision.
Quality elements/indicators
biological
physicochemical
relevant pollutants
hydromorphological
Ecosystem services (ESS)
Provisioning
Regulation & Maintenance
Cultural
Ecological status
High
Good
Moderate
Poor
Bad
ARUP, DHI, COWI

9. Links between Ecological Status and Ecosystem Services (ESS) provision
Have you identified any general links/patterns between Ecological status to ESS provision?
(note: some ESS such as Hydropower and Aquaculture may inhibit GES)?
Ecosystem services (ESS)
Provisioning
incl.hydro-power and aquaculture
Regulation & Maintenance
Cultural
Quality elements/indicators
biological
physicochemical
relevant pollutants
hydromorphological
Ecological status
High
Good
Moderate
Poor
Bad
ARUP, DHI, COWI