1. water.europa.eu 8-c) Expert Group & River Basin Network AGRICULTURE Strategic Co-ordination Group Brussels, 11 November 2010 Nicolas Rouyer & Ville Keskisarja European Commission DG Environment Water Unit (D1)

2. Overview presentation: 1.Key events in the period 2.Upcoming key events & deadlines 3.Progress CIS work programme deliverables  contribution to CAP reform  kick-off of the new RBN Slide 2 / 19

3. 1. Key events in the period Second biannual Expert Group meeting Kick-off meeting of the new River Basin Network on WFD & agriculture Annual conference on water & agriculture dedicated to the “application of EU water related policies at farm level” Slide 3 / 19 Joint event in Louvain-la-Neuve under the Belgian Presidency on 27-28-29 September 2010: Louvain la Neuve

4. 2. Upcoming key events and deadlines First biannual meeting of the EG in Brussels in March/April 2011 First workshop of the RBN mid 2011 in addition to small ad-hoc meetings on targeted issues Annual conference on water & agriculture to take place in September 2011 in Warszawa under the Polish Presidency Second biannual meeting of the EG back to back with the annual conference in Poland Slide 4 / 19

5. 3. Work programme deliverables Discussion on Article 38 implementation: Rural Development article to support WFD mandatory measures for farmers Only one MS intending to implement it at short term Reasons for this situation were debated  This point will be addressed at the next Water Directors’meeting with the general issue of mandatory measures for farmers Slide 5 / 19

6. 3. Work programme deliverables Contribution to the CIS ad-hoc activity on research: The aim was to identify the research needs for the better implementation of the WFD in the agricultural sector The EG provided an input to the CIS ad-hoc activity on research Slide 6 / 19

7. 3. Work programme deliverables Farm Advisory Services Handbook: Ideas for administrations about integrating water issues in farm advisory services EG members developed a handbook outlining examples & approaches for organizing farm advisory on water protection The final handbook was endorsed in Seville and translated into all EU languages in Sept 2010 Slide 7 / 19

8. 3. Work programme deliverables Start of 2 studies on water & agriculture: COM has just launched 2 one-year studies on water & agriculture (one on water pricing & the other on water saving) It was decidezd to associate closely the EG & RBN members to the exercise Slide 8 / 19

9. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform Last May in Segovia (ES), Water Directors: Welcomed the 1st keynote by the Expert Group Drafter a statement on CAP reform & water protection  ES Presidency transmitted the statement with the keynote as annex to DG AGRI Mandated the Expert Group for an additional keynote Slide 9 / 19

10. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform The 2 nd keynote by the Expert Group: Is a deliverable by the Expert Group not to be endorsed by the SCG nor the Water Directors Gathers ideas of the experts, which don’t commit COM, MS or partners Slide 10 / 19

11. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform The 2 nd keynote by the Expert Group: Listed different ideas to feed the current debate on next CAP under a water perspective Ideas were submitted to a poll to identify the trends in the Expert Group It was sent to DG AGRI & taken into consideration for the inter-service consultation on the coming Communication Slide 11 / 19

12. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform Different technical aspects were addressed: Type of payments Funding needed Targeting of measures Ceiling of the support Controls & cross-compliance Safeguard mechanisms Administrative burden for farmers & administrations Co-operative approach with the farmers Duration of the contracts & payment modalities Farm advice and training Administration working together Slide 12 / 19

13. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform Just a focus on controls & cross-compliance (1/2): Mandatory measures & voluntary measures should be both controlled (87,5%) Controls of mandatory measures should be increased up to a significant rate (55%) Control should focus mainly on practices, not on administrative issues (85%) Farmers should participate when controls take place (85%) Slide 13 / 19

14. Contribution to the debate on CAP reform Just a focus on controls & cross-compliance (2/2): Controls should be developed on robust scientific basis & should be concentrated on priority issues (85% Cross-compliance should be strenghtened (62,5%) Cross-compliance is not a substitute for normal controls (82,5%) Non-gouvernemental controls should be welcome (62,5%) Slide 14 / 19

15. Slide 15 / 19 River basins network New Mandate 2010-2012: Drafted by the JRC and DG ENV with the support of the PRB-AGRI network Identified as a sub group of the Expert Group on WFD & agriculture Endorsed by the Water Directors In May 2010 Invitation letter sent in end of June The aim of the RBN is to exchange experiences to support the WFD implementation by providing practical examples/cases of good practices in RBMP’s

16. Moselle-Sarre DE, LUX, FRA

17. Slide 17 / 19 River basins network Tasks identified in the Mandate: Task 1. Evaluation of the measures and enhancement of the CAOM Each RB will select and evaluate measures of most interest to them Evaluation factsheet includes effects, implementation, acceptance and social/financial/legal aspects of a measure Output will be an in depth evaluation of around 10 key agricultural measures in RBMPs

18. Slide 18 / 19 River basins network Tasks identified in the Mandate: Task 2. Evaluation of specific issues in the RBMPs Specific issues related to RBMP and/or PoM and agriculture will be dealt closer within small groups (ad hoc working groups) Output will be short articles or information sheets on 4-5 issues to support Expert Group on WFD & agriculture Short list of possible topics ( tentative, to be approved by RBN members ): –Indicators to monitor the implementation of the PoM –Financing the agricultural measures in the PoM –Farmers involvement, strategies and experiences –Interplay between the Flood Directive and flood related measures in the PoM of WFD –Cost effectiveness of agricultural measures

19. Slide 19 / 19 River basins network Next steps: In coming months Selection of specific issues by the end November Further development of the RBN’s Web platform Activities start in January 2011 Written contribution to SCG and WFD Agri in the beginning of 2011 In 2011 - 2012 Three workshops (mid 2011, early 2012 and late 2012) Small ad hoc working groups and telemeetings for specific issues