1. DG ENV + AGRI Taskforce on water agriculture nexus
Claire MCCAMPHILL
DG ENVIRONMENT
Unit C1

2. Why a taskforce ?
Current Commission priority – improve implementation of existing policy & integration across policy "silos"
ENV& AGRI commissioners identified water as an issue important for both services

3. What's its remit ?
Identify the challenges to implementation of EU law (water and agriculture (ND, WFD, CAP)) and options for improvement through enhanced cooperation & implementation of existing tools
Scope: initial 3 challenges covered are nutrients, pesticides, abstraction
Out of scope for now but very important to be considered in the future
- hydromorphological pressures (dams, dykes, drainage, dredging)
- soil erosion

4. Approach taken For each pressure, sets out in summary form
why it is an important issue to be addressed (impacts)
The tools (EU legislation and funding ) that should be used by member states to comprehensively address the pressure
Gaps in implementation/implementation challenges
Examples of good practice in MS in terms of optimising the existing tools

5. Principals to be established
Sustainable agriculture – for water: no deterioration in status and achievement of good status for all waters
Requires agriculture & water ministries to understand this objective and align activities toward reaching this
Good practises
–establish the common agreement framework
- identify the gap to good
- determine best mix of policy instruments to close the gap and within this maximise agricultural profit
- compliance assurance strategy to track progress

6. Use of the TF document Once agreed by Commissioners, it will
- form a basis for the development of co-operation activities between DG ENV and AGRI on water issues and for defining what sustainable agriculture means with regard to water
- provide input and direction to the CIS e.g. through water and agriculture workshop to be held under SK presidency in October , 2016 and subsequent Agri and ENV director joint meetings.