1. Scientific Support to Policies
EAQC-WISE European Analytical Quality Control in support of the Water Framework Directive via the Water Information System for Europe Project Presentation Co-ordinator: BRGM (Fr) Scientific co-ordinator: JRC/IRMM 1

2. EAQC-WISE project Contract n°: 022603 (SSP)
6th FP, priority 8 “Scientific Support to Policies”
17 partners
1 European reference centre, 2 academia organisations, 7 public organisations, 7 independent organisations
Coordinator : BRGM (FR)
Scientific coordinator : JRC-IRMM
10 countries : FR, AT, UK, SL, SK, DE, IT, NL, PL, SE
Duration: 36 months
Present timing
Contract negotiations are on-going
Start date: 1st December 2005
Kick-off meeting is planned on December 2005
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3. Background of the project
The implementation of the WFD requires the design of monitoring programmes for all MS
The effectiveness of this implementation will highly depend on the ability of MS’ laboratories to measure chemical, biological and ecological changes of the quality of Community waters
As such analytical data are the basis for regulatory decisions and measures required to achieve WFD environmental objectives,
=> an appropriate analytical quality control system has to be established across all EU monitoring laboratories to ensure the reliability and comparability of these data.
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4. Consequently, the EAQC-WISE Project Objectives are:
To study different structures and existing QA/QC system at national and European level
To identify gaps and needs for additional research and standardisation,
To derive a recommended approach of a QA/QC system that are likely to work at Member State, at river basin and at European scale.
To assess the impact of such a recommended AQC system.
To check the applicability and validity by means of case studies
To derive a communication system to efficiently link scientific and policy-making communities
To produce a sustainable dissemination mechanism of reliable and professional training appropriate to laboratories engaged in the analysis of matrices associated with WFD implementation
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5. Work Programme Events WP 1: QA/QC systems and tools.
WP 2: System for standardisation & research needs.
WP 3: QA/QC system awareness and methodologies in the WFD information chain.
WP 4: Training and Education in QA/QC.
Events
2 workshops will be main events in the project :
Targeted audience : competent authorities in Member States, users of monitoring data at all levels and decision makers, EEA, European Accreditation, WFD-CIS and research institutes, Monitoring labs, research labs, PTSchemes providers and users, CRM providers and users, training institutes
month 12: state of the art, output of research projects and different recommended approaches to be discussed
Month 30: the recommended EAQC system : does it meet the stakeholders demand ? To be discussed
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6. EAQC-WISE project - Work Programme WP1. QA/QC systems and tools
To provide a survey of existing Analytical QA/QC systems and tools, suitable for the implementation of the WFD across the EU, and identify corresponding gaps.
- To establish a blue print for developing and maintaining a sustainable pan-EU QA/QC system for water, biota and related soil monitoring data that can be deployed in an integrated way at the regional, national and European level, based on a review and selection of best practice, and following internationally agreed and accepted standards (such as ISO/IEC 17025).
- to exemplify the feasibility of the proposed system through a series of documented case studies and if necessary through additional demonstrator experiments (in the frame of IRMM's IMEP intercomparison campaigns).
- to carry out the impacts of the recommended QA/QC system (benefits for reporting, decision making and also cost benefits)
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7. The scope is as follows:
EAQC-WISE project - Work Programme WP2. System for standardisation & research needs
What underpinning research/standardisation has been delivered so far and what will be needed in the future.
Approaches for commissioning such research/standardisation, both at the European and national level.
The scope is as follows:
sampling, sample transport, storage analysis and data reporting;
research for analysis of “difficult” WFD Priority Substances in terms of their detectability or lack of harmonisation;
influence of various WFD matrices;
interaction between soils and water for QA/QC aspects : gaps in leaching tests
identification and monitoring of the river basin specific and emerging pollutants (link with the CA NORMAN).
minimum requirements on quality of data feeding statistical programmes (e.g. for pollution trend analysis for evaluation of chemical status of ground waters);
harmonisation of data reporting (minimum QA/QC requirements – metadata);
traceability for "on-site" measurements ( link with SWIFT)
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8. EAQC-WISE project - Work Programme WP3
EAQC-WISE project - Work Programme WP3. QA/QC system awareness and methodologies in the WFD information chain
Study of the data reporting chain; A great deal of QA/QC information is often lost during the data reporting chain.
Recommendation of a system of links to ensure effective communication between data providers & data users
The ultimate goal of WP3 is to ensure that competent bodies and decision-makers at all the different levels of the data reporting chain are fully aware of the meaning of the data that they are using and of the “consequences” related to the “good” or “bad” quality of the data that are transferred to the next link of the chain.
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9. EAQC-WISE project - Work Programme WP4. Training and Education in QA/QC
WP4 aims to produce a sustainable dissemination mechanism of reliable and professional training and educational services appropriate to laboratories engaged in the analysis of waters and solid suspended matter, biota and sediments associated with WFD implementation
Based on :
Inventory of the current situation
Recommended approach for an EU system for training and education in water & sediment QA/QC
Case studies
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10. Expected contributions of EAQC-WISE with regard to the chemical monitoring component of the WFD
On the short-term (2006) :
- During the first year of the project, a survey of existing QA/QC tools, national systems or structures and additional research will be carried out ; It could provide contributions to the guidance drafting works.
- JRC and other project partners have strong links within CIS ad-hoc working group(s) and the Group Chemical Monitoring.
On the medium-term ( ) inputs will be :
- The identification of needs and gaps and how these could be commissioned at EU level (FP7).
- to facilitate the discussion among AQC stakeholders, i.e. standardisation bodies (CEN), accreditation bodies (EA), customers (competent authorities), and contractors (analytical laboratories) about relevant criteria and measures. (Advisory Forum, workshops)
- The blue print for developing and maintaining a sustainable Analytical Quality Control system working at European level and tailor-made in support to the implementation of the WFD.
- This blue print could be used to launch new proposal(s) at CEN for the development of new technical guidelines / reports
- Improvement of the dissemination / information chain
on the long term (after 2008)
- to contribute to the achievement of the comparability of analytical data at European scale
- to contribute to improvements / redesigns of monitoring programmes (difficult parameters, emerging tools, sampling…)
and so, to contribute to the effectiveness of the implementation of the WFD
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11. Thanks for your attention !
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