Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sector - About CIS<b style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">Implementing the EU Water Framework Directive</b><span style="color: black;" lang="EN"><br>
<br>
The
implementation of the Water Framework Directive raises a number of shared
technical challenges for the Member States, the Commission, the Candidate
and EEA Countries as well as stakeholders and NGOs. In addition, many of the
European river basins are international, crossing administrative and
territorial borders and therefore a common understanding and approach is
crucial to the successful and effective implementation of the Directive.
</span>
<p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">In order to
address the challenges in a cooperative and coordinated way, the Member
States, Norway and the Commission agreed on a <b>Common Implementation
Strategy (CIS)</b> for the Water Framework Directive only five months after
the entry into force of the Directive.</span></p><p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN"><br></span></p>
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<p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN"><br></span></p><p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">More details on
the overall concept, the numerous activities and the mandates of the Working
Groups under the Common Implementation Strategy can be found on the <a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/implementation.html">europa website</a>. </span></p>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0cm;" type="circle"><b></b></ul>
<b> </b>
<p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>In the first
phase of the joint process, a number of guidance documents were prepared.
Currently, these documents are being tested in pilot river basins across
Europe. In addition, four Working Groups (Ecological Status, Integrated
River Basin Management, Groundwater and Reporting) are addressing key issues
for implementation. </span></p>
<p class="NormalWeb1"><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">The common
strategy also supports the Commission in delivering on its obligations for
further policy development (Daughter Directives on </span><b>
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);" lang="EN">
<a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/groundwater.html">
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); text-decoration: none;">groundwater</span></a></span><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">
</span></b><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">and on<b> </b></span><b>
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153); text-decoration: none;" lang="EN">
<a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-dangersub/pri_substances.htm">
priority substances</a></span></b><span style="color: black;" lang="EN">).
</span></p>
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<td height="330" width="1388"> <br><b style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">What is the Common Implementation Strategy?</b><br><br>The Common Implementation Strategy
for the Water Framework Directive (known as the CIS) was agreed by
the European Commission, Member States and Norway in May 2001.
Although implementing the Directive remains the responsibility of
individual Member States, a common strategy is necessary to:
<ul><li>develop a common understanding of approaches
</li><li>elaborate informal technical guidance including best
practice examples
</li><li>share experiences and resources
</li><li>avoid duplication of efforts
</li><li>limit the risk of bad application </li></ul>
<p>Experts from the above countries and candidate countries as well
as stakeholders and non-governmental organisations are all involved
in the CIS process to carry out the following activities:</p>
<ol><li>raise awareness and exchange information
</li><li>develop guidance documents on various technical issues
</li><li>carry out integrated testing in pilot river basins
</li><li>develop a European information management system. </li></ol>
<p>A series of working groups help carry out these objective. A
Strategic Coordination Group (or SCG) oversees these working groups
and reports directly to the Water Directors of the European Union,
Norway, Switzerland, the Candidate Countries and Commission.</p>
<p>More information about the Common Implementation Strategy and
related EU funded research projects can be found on the <a target="_blank" href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/implementation.html">Europa website.</a></p></td>
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<p><b style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);">Aims of the CIS</b><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 153);"> </span><br></p><p>The aim of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) is to allow, as far
as possible, the coherent implementation of the Water Framework
Directive, whilst focusing on methodological questions relating to achieving
a common understanding of the technical and scientific implications
of the Directive. Guidance documents, recommendations for
operational methods and other supporting information may be
developed, but the implementation of the Directive will be the
responsibility of the Member State. As such, these documents are
informal and non-legally binding in character, but should limit any
risks associated with the application of the Directive.</p>
<p>The strategy has been divided into four main modules or key
activities:</p>
<ul><li>
<font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">
Activity 1: Information sharing</font>
</li><li>
<font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">
Activity 2: Developing guidance on technical issues</font>
</li><li>Activity 3:
<font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">
Information and data management</font>
</li><li>Activity 4:
<font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">
Application, testing and validation.</font></li></ul>
<p>Fora each of the identified activities, working groups and Expert
Advisory Fora have been established. To date, <font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2">more
than 15 European expert and working groups are involved in producing
guidance documents to assist in WFD transposition and implementation
processes. Generally, a lead country or the Commission will chair
the working groups, with participants from interested Member States,
Candidate Countries, stakeholders and NGOs. </font></p> <br></div>
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 102);" lang="FR"><b>
<font size="5">A common process of implementation :<br>
Schedule - process</font></b></span></div>
<p class="NormalWeb1" style="text-align: center;">
<img src="http://www.emwis.org/WFD/about_2.gif" border="0" height="482" width="784"></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 102);" lang="FR"><b>
<font size="5"><br>The WFD leans on confirmed or reinforced principles</font></b></span>
<ul>
<li>
<span lang="fr">Management by hydrographic districts</span></li>
<li><span lang="fr">Planification on the horizon 2015</span></li>
<li><span lang="fr">Protection of aquatic ecosystems and terrestrian ecosystems which
depends directly on:<br>
</span></li>
<li><span lang="fr">Economical analysis<br>
</span></li>
<li><span lang="fr">Public participation</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span lang="fr"><b><br></b></span></p></div>2008-09-04T14:11:59Ztag:www.emwis.net,2008-09-04:/initiatives/dce/fol107742http://www.emwis.net/misc_/SEMIDE/Site.gifEuro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the Water sectorCommon Strategy on the Implementation of the WFDtag:www.emwis.net,2008-10-28:/initiatives/dce/fol107742/strategy.pdf2008-10-28T07:22:51ZMiruna BadescuAnne-Marie HarperMay 2001<br />Carrying Forward the CIS for the WFDtag:www.emwis.net,2008-10-28:/initiatives/dce/fol107742/strategy2.pdf2008-10-28T07:22:51ZMiruna BadescuAnne-Marie HarperProgress and Work Programme 2003-2004<br />