Document Acronym WG2B/27280504/6

Progress report for the Strategic Co-ordination Group
27th – 28th May 2004

Agenda item:7Status: draft

Author: Manuel Menéndez

Working Group 2B Integrated River Basin Management

1.Activities

The main activities carried out by the working group (WG) since the last Strategic Coordination Group (SCG, 15 March 2004) have been the following:

  • Addressing Methodological Economic Issues (ECO 2)

The tasks of the group are aimed to clarify the concept of environmental and resource costs. Two main activities have been carried out since the last SCG:

Celebration of a Workshop in Amsterdam (26 March 2004) in order to:

Disseminate knowledge and experiences

Share information

Illustrate European case studies

Ellaboration of a draft paper dealing with:

Framework, definitions and terminology

Which approach for which purpose?

Practical illustrations

Links with IMPRESS

Proceedings from the workshop are available since the beginning of May. Draft paper will be available at the end of May.

  • PilotRiver Basin Exercise (PRB)

The last version of the Outcome Report on PRB testing on the Art. 5 related guidance documents has been circulated to the members of the WG at the end of April. This document includes the main part (Chapter 1, 2 , 3 and 4), the updated Annex I (summary of the answer given by the PRBs to the ToR) and the new Annex III (Case studies).There is also a link to the Annex II (collection of the extended answers given by the PRB to the ToR) that will be, as agreed with the PRB leaders, only available in electronic format on CIRCA.

A “Pilot River Basins Workshop” on “Groundwater and Water Framework Directive Management Plan” was organized in Rome (3-4 May 2004) with the following main topics:

Different management approaches for different aquifer typologies

Groundwater use and impact on terrestrial ecosystems

Groundwater and HMWB

Groundwater Economic Analysis and Public Participation

  • River Basin Management Programmes of Measures under the WFD Common Implementation Strategy (PoMs)

In the last SCG (15 March) an “Activity sheet” proposing a work programme was presented. Member States did not reach a clear consensus about it. The conclusion was to discuss the issue in the next plenary meeting of the WG in Madrid. In the plenary not only a new scope for the activity but the follow up of the totality of the activities of the Working Group were discussed. In consequence, a new document was drafted. The document has been circulated after the plenary meeting via e-mail to the members of the WG. After comments, a new version of it (WG 2B. 3rd Plenary Meeting. Summary of Conclusions) agreed by the members of the WG is now presented to this SCG. The document foresees two phases for the activity on “preparation of programmes of Measures”. The first one during 2004 will be focussed in the celebration of a workshop in October 2004. The main deliverable of this phase will be the proceedings of the workshop.

2.Meetings (since 15 March 2004)

Meeting / Place, dates / Main Objective
ECO 2 Workshop / Amsterdam, 26 March 2004 / Dissemination of knowledge and experiences on environmental and resource costs.
WG 2B Plenary Meeting / Madrid, 22/23 April 2004 / Discussion about the activities carried out by the group and their follow up.
PRB Workshop / Rome, 3/4 May 2004 / Dissemination of knowledge and experiences on Groundwater and links with Management Plans.

3.Expected Progress

  • Tentatively, next plenary meeting of WG 2B will be in Brussels or Paris in November 2004.
  • ECO 2 will produce a draft report to be circulated around end of May. A final report will be presented in the Amsterdam WD meeting before the end of 2004.
  • Further development of the PRB exercise includes the Guidance Documents not tested yet. The specific future of the PRB exercise is currently on discussion. Two workshops “The PRB Mediterranean dimension” and “Linking rural development and land degradation mitigation into river basin management plans” are expected to be held in Bari (Italy) in July 2004.
  • After conclusions of Dublin WD meeting, PoMs tentatively will start its activities. A workshop will be held in October in Brussels or Madrid. To prepare the workshop and to define a specific mandate for the activity in 2005-06 a drafting group will be created. First meeting of this DG will be in Brussels around 28th June. Member States are requested to present representatives for this DG.
  • The WG 2B has decided to create a specific “friend of the chairs group” in charge of identifying the next relevant working priorities. First meeting of this group will be back to back with the above mentioned about PoMs around 28th June in Brussels.

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