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Page 1 of 25. Contents of the Presentation. Key Components of EU groundwater and soil regulations under developments Integration issues: environmental policies Science-policy integration issues: links with on-going RTD projects Need for a ‘science-policy’ interface Conclusions, perspectives .

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  1. Page 1 of 25

  2. Contents of the Presentation • Key Components of EU groundwater and soil regulations under developments • Integration issues: environmental policies • Science-policy integration issues: links with on-going RTD projects • Need for a ‘science-policy’ interface • Conclusions, perspectives Page 2 of 25

  3. Introductory remark: evolution of EU water policies TODAY WFD Bathing Water Drinking Water Surface Water Fish Water Shellfish Water Ground water Urban Waste Water Nitrates IPPC Exchange of Information Decision Surface Waters Dangerous Substances 2013 WFD Bathing Water Drinking Water Urban Waste Water Nitrates IPPC REPEAL Page 3 of 25

  4. EU Water Framework Directive: key elements • protecting all waters, surface and ground waters • Setting environmental objectives • good quality (‘good status’) to be achieved within a set deadline of 15 years • water management based on river basins • combined approach of emission controls and water quality standards, plus phasing out of particularly hazardous substances • economic instruments: economic analysis, and getting the prices right - to promote wise use of water • getting the citizen involved: public participation Page 4 of 25

  5. EU Groundwater legislative framework GROUNDWATER PROTECTION AGAINST POLLUTION WFD requirements 80/68/EEC Directive Article 17 WFD Environmental objectives (good status by 2015) Prevent/limit pollutant discharges (authorisations) Criteria for good chemical status, protection measures River basin management, protection measures Repeal planned in 2013 under the WFD Specifications in support of WFD, no duplication Page 5 of 25

  6. Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (incl. landfills, wastes, contaminated soils, agriculture) Prevent / Limit? Interactions with aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems? Links with SW status and EQS Quality standards / thresholds? Issues tackled by the EU GWD proposal Run-off Construction Products, Urban wastes Drinking water abstraction Page 6 of 25

  7. Update of GWD negotiation process • COM(2003)550 proposal published in September 2003. First round of discussions with EU institutions from October 2003 to March 2004 • Discussion rounds at EU Council from June 2004 to May 2005 • First EP reading report adopted on 28th April 2005 • Political agreement (Council/Commission) adopted on 24th June 2005 • Common position expected in December 2005, followed by second reading (first trimester 2006) • Final adoption by summer 2006? Page 7 of 25

  8. Human Health Air Biomass Production (e.g. food chain) Culture Open Water Biodiversity Soil Ground Water W.E.H. Blum, 2004 EU Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection Page 8 of 25

  9. „Towards“ communication – April 2002 • SOILS THREATS IDENTIFIED • Erosion ● Biodiversity loss • Decline in Organic Matter ● Compaction • Soil Contamination ● Soil sealing • Salinisation ● Floods and landslides INTEGRATION of soil protection aspects in other policies Page 9 of 25

  10. EU Soil strategy - Policy options On the basis of • Working Group reports • opinions from other community institutions • international agreements, e.g. Soil charter, protocol on soil protection (Alpine Convention) • ongoing Ex- Impact Assessment • our own assessment of the need for a comprehensive approach We propose for the TS • Communication laying down the way forward and addressing issues not tackled in the SFD • Framework Directive for the protection of soil(SFD) • Extended Impact assessment • Proposed date of adoption :End 2005 Page 10 of 25

  11. Integration with other policies • Environment and health Natural resources • Chemicals Marine policy • Waste Transport policy • Development policy Research….. Each policy sector should consider also the side effects, positive or negative, to other sectors and ecosystems, The political commitment to sustainable development should lead to a more integrated approach to policy making and management Page 11 of 25

  12. EU Policy integration in practice POLICY Seveso, Industry POLICY Env. Impact assessment INDUSTRY POLICY Birds, Habitats URBAN SECTOR AGRI- CULTURE DRINKING WATER POLICY Drinking water POLICY Sewage sludge landfill POLICY Wastewater Construction POLICY groundwater POLICY Pesticides, Nitrates, biocides POLICY Bathing water POLICY WFD Page 12 of 25

  13. EU Research integration and links to standardisation POLICY Seveso, IPPC POLICY Env. Impact assessment RESEARCH Water uses INDUSTRY AGRI- CULTURE POLICY Birds, Habitats URBAN SECTOR CEN CEN TC 308 § 345 DRINKING WATER CEN CEN TC 230 CEN CEN TC 292 POLICY Drinking water RESEARCH Interactions with wetlands RESEARCH Risk studies, remediation POLICY Sewage sludge landfill RESEARCH Soil & surface water interactions POLICY UWW, CPD POLICY groundwater POLICY Pesticides, Nitrates, biocides POLICY Bathing water POLICY WFD Page 13 of 25

  14. Funding instruments (Research, demonstration) • Based on yearly calls for proposals launched by DG Research (European Commission) under 6th FP: large-scale projects or targeted research • Of interest to the Water and Soil Sectors: Priority 6.3 ‘Global changes and ecosystems’, ERA-NET (potential access to national research), Scientific Support to Policies Priority [medium (3-5 y) to long (5-10 y) term research] • JRC Multiannual WP [short (1-2 y) to long term] • LIFE Programme [demonstration projects] Page 14 of 25

  15. Science-policy integration in a perfect world … NATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION Co-ordination FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMMES In reality, only part of the results of research projects are effectively and efficiently applicable to policies Page 15 of 25

  16. Science-policy links RTD projects Water policies SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY Scientific foundation Political agenda Time pressure Policy used as justification Specific research agenda/interests Results accessability INTERFACE NEEDS Increased awareness Improved communication Concerted planning Page 16 of 25

  17. Soil & Water cycle: reseach vs. policy (EU) response SURFACE WATER / ATMOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE / SOIL / WATER SURFACE WATER /BIOTA REBECCA, EUWET etc., vs. WFD, NATURA 2000 SOIL / GROUNDWATER AQUATERRA, SNOWMAN, HORIZONTAL etc. vs. GWD, Sewage Sludge, Landfill, Soil TS, Pesticides etc. SEDIMENT / SURFACE WATER SOIL / SURFACE WATER / GROUNDWATER SedNet, REBECCA etc. vs.WFD, Marine TS Page 17 of 25 AQUATERRA, BRIDGE, etc. vs. WFD, GWD

  18. Example of consultation: Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) Water Directors Steering of implementation process Chair: Presidency, Co-chair: Commission Expert Advisory Forum“Flood Protection” Chair: Commission Strategic Steering Group“WFD and Agriculture” Chair: UK and Commission Strategic Co-ordination Group Co-ordination of work programme Chair: Commission Art. 21 Committee Working Group C “Groundwater” Lead: Commission and AT Working Group A “Ecological Status” Lead: JRC, DE and UK Working Group E “Priority Substances” Lead: Commission “Chemical Monitoring” “Chemical Monitoring” Working Group B “Integrated River Basin Management” Lead: FR and ES Working Group D “Reporting” Lead: Commission "GIS” Expert Network Page 18 of 25 Stakeholders, NGO’s, Researchers, Experts, etc.

  19. Pilot River Basins Network: an interfacing tool under the CIS? • B, F, NL (Scheldt), • D, F, Lux (Moselle-Sarre) • France (Marne) • Ireland (Shannon) • UK (Ribble) • Denmark (Odense) • Finland (Oulujoki) • Norway (Suldals) • Portugal (Guadiana) • Spain (Júcar) • Greece (Pinios) • Italy (Tevere, Cecina) • HU/ROM (Somos) • PL, CZ, D (Neisse) Page 19 of 25

  20. Links to WISE • Water Information System for Europe (EU-DG ENV, Joint Research Centre, European Environment Agency, Eurostat), aiming at efficiently managing all water-related information at EU level, ensuring coherence between various reporting mechanisms and needs, and providing access to information (including RTD) / data for various purposes and needs Page 20 of 25

  21. WFD implementation Water managers Developing concept Research Data & knowledge offers pilots PRB's WFD Guidances key-issues experiences demands Page 21 of 25

  22. M A P P I N G HarmoniCA initiative DEMAND - SIDE SUPPORT - SIDE Page 22 of 25

  23. … Toward WISE-RTD development RESEARCH EU-wide & national DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION DESIGN POLICY Review, Integration, Research needs DEMONSTRATION Water policies REVIEW INTERFACE Page 23 of 25

  24. Conclusions • Key feature of implementation and review of environmental policies: Communication is far from being in place among the scientific and policy-making groups. At EU level, efforts are made to identify the operatibility of a possible RTD-Policy interface (WISE-RTD). • Coordination is required to ensure information exchanges among the scientific community and policy-makers • Improvements are already noted thanks to ‚tailor-made‘ projects funded under the ‚Scientific Support to Policies‘ (SSP) Priority of FP6 • Interfacing implies efforts to establish and maintain a multidisciplinary dialogue and to look at integration issues (other policies, public awareness, education etc.) – We cannot anymore afford to work isolated! Page 24 of 25

  25. Opened questions • Is the state of knowledge sufficient and transferred versus soil and water policy implementation / development? • Based on the likelihood of an ‘integrated approach’ in the environmental legislation, how should the research system policy adapt to consolidate / develop knowledge on ‘soil-water environmental interfaces’? Page 25 of 25

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