1. Inventory preparation for priority substances
Agenda item 8
Inventory preparation for priority substances
Working Group E
15 – 16 March 2011
Joachim Heidemeier – UBA (DE)
Lauriane Greaud – MEDDTL (FR)
Madalina David – DG Environment (EC)

2. 2nd DG meeting on PS inventory
2nd DG meeting: 20 – 21 January 2011 (Brussels)
Participants: Germany, France, Commission, EEA, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium (Fl), Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, ICPDR, CONCAWE, ECPA, NAVI TG (ESPO, ICOMIA) and EEB
Purpose of the meeting: discuss the structure of the guidelines and the approach to be taken

3. Main content of the guidelines
Purpose of the guidelines: legal requirements, practical use, baseline and minimum expectations
Terms and definitions
General components of the inventory: general working scheme, temporal and spatial scope
Working methodologies: general description, input data needed, proposed procedure and interpretation of results

4. Purpose of the inventory
Assist in establishing and implementing targeted reduction and phasing out measures regarding priority and priority hazardous substances
Assist in checking the compliance of the reduction and phasing out measures with the provisions of the WFD (art 4)
Contribute to improve data coverage /comparability for reported emissions
Assess if or to what extent monitored concentrations are caused by natural sources or long range transport processes (recital 20)
Estimate the efficiency of RBMP Programme of Measures (PoM)
Allow the establishment of emission trends over time and other indicators
Identify gaps in knowledge, thus the need to develop strategies/policies

5. Definition of the terms “discharges, emissions and losses”
Used for the first time in the chapter on the prevention of pollution by hazardous substances in the Esbjerg Declaration of the 4th North Sea Conference of 1995 to make it clear that all inputs are addressed and have to be included into the required reduction measures.
For the purpose of the inventory, it has to address all relevant inputs into the environment which are likely to reach the surface waters
i.e. Restriction to point sources without a comprehensive justification why this would be the only relevant input route to the environment clearly would not meet the requirement of EQS Directive.

6. Minimum expectations (1/2)
Spatial scale
River basin district or sub-unit level, not at water body level
Will depend on the type of the substance
Temporal scale
First inventory: one year between 2008 and 2010 (or average for PPP)
For diffuse emissions correlated with rainfall/river flow: 5-year average recommended
Should address all 41 substances from EQSD annex I
=> however: proposition of an initial assessment of significance to determine the subsequent analysis needed

7. Minimum expectations (2/2)
Proposition of a 2 steps analysis
Step 1: Assessment of significance
Identify significant/less significant substances at the RBD level
Using results of monitoring programmes (concentrations in water, and sediment and/or biota if relevant), WB at risk, information on production/use/ban, etc.
Include the rationale on which the decision was taken
Step 2: For the significant substances, a more thorough analysis
Based on emission data available: total load (kg/y), quantity discharged/production capacity (g/t), concentration (mg/l) reported (i.e E-PRTR, UWWTD)
And emissions factors (especially for diffuse sources emissions)

8. Proposed approach
Different methodologies have been developed by the Member States based on different level of ambitions to tackle the problem
Conclusion:
not possible to have a harmonised methodology at the EU level, thus a pragmatic approach was chosen
general working scheme will be based on the minimum expectations followed by a tiered approach of estimation of emissions:
Tier 1: riverine load oriented, transport/sedimentation/remobilisation
Tier 2: pathway oriented
Tier 3: source oriented (SFA)
Level of sophistication expected to improve with the RBMPs cycles.
=> Re-calculation of emissions for earlier reporting dates
The way on how the data have been produced should be made publically available and reported in a transparent way

10. Member States’ reporting obligations as regards the inventory
Reporting under Article 13 of the WFD
Preparation of the inventory
Publication of the RBMP
Communication to the Commission
2nd cycle of the RBMP
3rd cycle of the RBMP
4th cycle of the RBMP ……

11. Tentative timetable 3rd DG Meeting: 11 – 12 April (Rome, IT)
Presentation of 1st consolidated draft document to WG-E meeting (June 2011)
Testing phase (July-September 2011)
Final version to be agreed by WG-E (October 2011)
Article 21 Committee's adoption (February 2012)

12. Thanks for your attention….