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

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Dir. 78/659/EEC* Dir. 79/923/EEC* Dir. 80/68/EEC* Dir. 76/464/EEC* Not covered by SRD / Covered by SRD / * To be repealed by WFD - Out SRD

Water-related reporting requirements

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

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

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

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

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”

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)

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

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)

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

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

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)

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 …

“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.

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

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

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