Common Implementation Strategy (CIS)

 

 

Introduction

 

The aim of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) – agreed on by the member states, Norway, and the Commission – is to foster and facilitate cooperation and coordination of the WFD implementation across Europe. The implementation process represents a significant governance challenge: not only are concerted actions required by different stakeholders at different levels (Member States, Commission, Candidate Countries, EEA Countries, citizens, NGOs), but many European River Basins are international and cross administrative and territorial borders, demanding a common understanding and approach.

Under the CIS process, several Guidance Documents (providing advice on operational methods and having informal and non-legally binding character) that focus specifically on technical and scientific methodologies have been produced. The compilation of these documents was carried out under four Working Groups – Ecological Status, Integrated River Basin Management, Groundwater, and Reporting – and resulted in a common reference focusing specifically on technical and scientific methodologies across Europe. These were later tested in different pilot river basins (see PRBs for more detail). Also, CIS working groups have been recently working on the concept of assessing Environmental Resource Costs and Benefits (ERCB), but outcomes have been primarily theoretical and conceptual in nature. Therefore, research projects like AquaMoney have been launched to close this gap and develop ERCB guidelines for practical application. Furthermore, the Working Groups under this strategy also support the Commission in furthering policy development, especially with regard to certain water-related daughter directives (e.g. Groundwater Directive, Priority Substances Directive, Floods Directive).

 

For more information on the activities and mandates of these Working Groups, please see:

 

 

 

Pilot River Basins (PRBs)

 

Key element of the implementation strategy was an approach for testing and cross validating those guidance in practice, which resulted in the establishment of a network of Pilot River Basins. The Pilot River Basins were selected based on the following objectives:

 

 

The objective of first Phase (2002-2004) was mainly to test and report on coherence amongst the different Guidance Documents, eventually leading to long-term development of River Basin Management Plans and the preparation of 'Programs of Measures' (both due by the end of 2009). The main deliverable of Phase I was the PRB Outcome Report, which has been published in 2005, and is based on 15 river basins (see figure 1).

 

 

         Figure 1: River Basins in the EU and the 15 Pilot River Basins of Phase I (2004-2005)

 

           

Source: Pilot River Basin Outcome Report. Testing the WFD Guidance Documents (2005).

 

 

However, during Phase I it had become clear that, despite the geographical distribution, there were recurrent topics to be addressed in the WFD implementation. Two external pressures that could significantly hinder the achievement of the WFD objectives have thus been identified: agricultural activities (e.g. diffuse non-point source pollution) and hydromorphological changes (e.g. past alterations due to major water uses such as navigation, hydropower, flood control).

Having identified the link between agriculture and water resources as one of the highest priorities, Phase II (2005-2006) of this WFD exercise was carried out in 9 PRBs (see figure 2), coordinated by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC), focusing specifically on the pressures from agriculture on water resources. The main outcomes of the PRB-Agriculture are available in the final report of the group.

In this report, environmental topics, which are closely linked to and impacted by the agricultural sector, have been confirmed and ranked, and practical case studies identified and documented. The final analysis contributed to a deeper understanding of ongoing processes and allowed for more precise and knowledge-based target-setting and the definition of objectives for mitigation. Besides producing an open-ended catalogue of measures to reduce the impacts from agriculture, the report stresses the importance of networking as a main driver of motivation and inspiration for further implementation of the WFD, including the exchange of experiences and information. According to information available at WISE, a third phase for the PRB-Agriculture may be launched in near future.

 

 

Figure 2: The nine Pilot River Basins participating in Phase II (2005-2006)

 

 

   Source: Report on the Pilot River Basin Group on Agriculture – Phase II period September 2005-December 2006 (2007)