1. Water Framework Directive, Habitats Directive and Inland Waterway Transport
Marieke van Nood
WFD Team, DG ENV.D.2, European Commission

2. Overview presentation
Main WFD objectives
Links WFD, HD, IWT
Implementation, good examples & guidance
Conclusions

3. Main WFD objectives

4. WFD – general principles
Protecting all water bodies, including transitional waters and coastal waters.
Covering all impacts on waters.
Achievement of good status in all water bodies and no deterioration of status.
Good status:
Ecological status
Chemical status
Quantitative status
Water quality defined in terms of biology, chemistry and morphology
Attention paid to socio-economic impacts, e.g. through a process of duly justified exemptions
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5. Diversity of uses, aspirations, pressures and impacts
Nature protection
Tourism
Agriculture
Flood protection
Industry
Waste Water
Drinking water
Navigation & hydropower 5

7. WFD Timetable Transposition into national law Dec 2003
Administrative arrangements Dec 2003
Environmental analysis:
Analysis of characteristics
Assessment of human impacts
Economic analysis of water use Dec 2004
Monitoring programmes Dec 2006
Public Participation starts Dec 2006
Significant water management issues Dec 2007
Draft river basin management plans Dec 2008
Final river basin management plans Dec 2009
Measure to be applicable at the latest Dec 2012
Implementation, adjustment till 2027
A number of significant deadlines have passed since the adoption of the Directive in 2000, however this year 2009, sees the most important rear for river basin management in Europe. At the end of 2008 draft River basin Management plans had to be prepared, and a 6 month consultation period had to start. At the end of 2009, this process shall lead to the establishment of river basin management plans for all river basin districts across EU and neighbouring countries where applicable.
To answer what happens when the Member States do not implement the Directive as they should, the following slides will show how the Commission proceeds in checking implementation and if necessary follow)-up with legal action.
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8. River Basin Management Plans
Principles
1-flexibility in WFD objective setting
2-integration with other policies
3-consider a wide range of measures
4-transparency in decision making
5-6 year cyclic approach
Notes for the Speaker:
More information on the Directive, the implementation process and also the guidance documents are available on the internet.

9. Links WFD, HD, IWT

10. Heavily modified water bodies
In case changes to the hydromorphological characteristics of that body which would be necessary for achieving good ecological status would have significant adverse effects on (e.g.) navigation, and
In case the beneficial objectives served by the artificial or modified characteristics of the water body cannot, for reasons of technical feasibility or disproportionate costs, reasonably be achieved by other means, which are a significantly better environmental option:
A water body can be designated as heavily modified and good ecological potential can be achieved instead of GES.
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11. Exemptions Time derogation (art 4.4) Lowered objectives (art 4.5)
Phased implementation to 2021 or even 2027 depending on technical feasibility and disproportionate costs
Lowered objectives (art 4.5)
Depending on technical infeasibility, disproportionate costs and/or natural condition
New modifications for sustainable human developments or physical alterations of surface water bodies, or alteration level of ground waters (art 4.7)
Benefits overriding public interest, consideration of alternatives – better environmental option
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12. New modifications
WFD allows for deterioration by new modifications under strict conditions:
No better environmental options
Project is of overriding public interest/outweighing water protection benefits
All mitigation measures are taken
Project and reasons are reported in RBM Plan
Other water bodies are not impacted/other objectives not impaired
Often related to Habitats Directive Article 6.3

13. New modifications What do we expect in plans:
Assessment of project on all biological quality elements
Use WFD monitoring data and/or expert judgement
Assess alternatives and describe whether there are no better environmental options (e.g. type of measure, location of measure)
Describe overriding public interest/comparison to foregone water protection benefits
Describe assessment of mitigation measures
-> Article 4.7 assessment in early stage

14. New modifications What do we expect in plans:
Assessment of project on all biological quality elements
Use WFD monitoring data and/or expert judgement
Assess alternatives and describe whether there are no better environmental options (e.g. type of measure, location of measure)
Describe overriding public interest/comparison to foregone water protection benefits
Describe assessment of mitigation measures
-> Article 4.7 assessment in early stage

15. Links WFD - HD
Most stringent objective applies (e.g. HWMB GEP - more measures may still be needed under HD)
Assess water impacts for HD and WFD together
Make use of possible synergies (e.g. monitoring fish, defining measures for RBMP and Natura2000 management plans)
Proposed future CIS activity on Biodiverstiy and Water is

16. Good examples and guidance

17. Good examples and guidance exist
WFD:
Guidance on application of exemptions
Guidance on pressures from navigation, hydropower, flood protection
and
Joint Statement Danube - Platina

18. EC Guidance documents Natura2000
+ important guidance on compensation (Art. 6 (4)
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19. How to integrate IWT - ecology
Early consideration of requirements WFD & Habitats directive
- Planning at river basin level, for e.g. consideration of alternatives
- Use best available information about mitigation measures
- Early involvement stakeholders and public
Use case by case approach to integrate IWT requirements and ecological requirements

20. More information Thank you very much!
Water Information System for Europe:
DG ENV webpages:
WFD - Circa webpage:
Or contact us:
Thank you very much!