WFD and Agriculture Mandate for activity under the CIS 2005/2006 Work Programme

The Water Directors recognised in 2004 that…….. Agriculture will significantly impact upon, and be impacted by, the WFD objectives. WFD characterisation – a high proportion of water bodies at risk of failing to meet the WFD ‘good status’ objectives due to agriculture. Environmental, economic and social benefits of reducing diffuse water pollution from agriculture (DWPA). Recent Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms – increased opportunities to support farmers in addressing their environmental responsibilities

Overall nature and scale of DWPA problem in Europe BUT that UNCERTAINTY over ……… Overall nature and scale of DWPA problem in Europe Degree to which existing measures, including CAP, will contribute to achieving WFD objectives Additional action required under WFD

Therefore in order to …….   Fill the INFORMATION GAP MANAGE THE UNCERTAINTY and RISK of not meeting WFD objectives Encourage better joining-up of WFD and CAP Consider the IMPACTS OF WFD on AGRICULTURE

UK and Commission prepared a mandate and will be co-leading this activity Discussion at the Rural Directors Nov ’04 meeting Approval by the Water Directors in Amsterdam (Dec 2004) as part of the WFD Common Implementation Strategy Work Programme 2005/2006 Water Directors decided to establish EU Strategic Steering Group involving water managers and agriculture and rural experts => first meeting 25 April 2005 (tentative) Conference on water and agriculture under UK Presidency

Mandate Output   Will be targeted at : Member States, the Commission, farmers, organisations involved in the implementation of CAP and WFD, and other interested parties. Will be …… - Improved evidence base to inform decision making and identification of evidence gaps. - More strategic thinking on how to maximise the value of links between WFD and CAP agendas – including better links between the EU water, Agriculture and Rural agendas. - Information sharing between Member States (e.g. best approaches for engaging with and educating the farming community).

Making Structural & Cohesion Funds (SCF) Work for the Water Framework Directive (WFD)

Process EU Working Group on WFD & SCF (Chaired by UK, Environment Agency of England & Wales) as part of the EU Expert Group on Environment & SCF (Chaired by Commission, DG ENV) established in November 2004, next meeting 28 Jan 2005 Title Slides Your audience needs to know who you are and what you are going to talk about. Give your presentation an opening slide showing the title of your presentation, your name and position or job title. Keep it simple. Your audience is far more likely to be distracted at the start of the presentation, when they are still settling down. Job titles should be kept to a single phrase - ‘Managing Director’ or ‘Events Manager’ - and qualifications used only if they are strictly relevant to your audience or presentation. Your closing slide should mirror the opening one, showing the title of the presentation and any contact details, if those are relevant. You can duplicate blank title slides, either by holding down Ctrl and click-dragging into the desired position in Slide Sorter mode (View - Slide Sorter), or by using Insert - New Slide - Title Slide.

EU Working Group WFD & SCF Set up 10 Member State Experts, DG ENV, DG REGIO Baseline Survey Good Practice Examples Working Papers Guidance on Principles & Practice for 2007+ Close link and involvement of WFD CIS experts

Working Group Proposed Products COMMON UNDERSTANDING PAPER: Procedural issues Transnational co-operation Shaping Future funding priorities 2007+ paper Eligibility of WFD projects for SCF WFD-proofing’ programmes & projects toolkit Coherency with other EU funding instruments Good practice project example brochure e.g. GIS, Public Participation, RB planning