/ EUROPEAN COMMISSION
RESEARCH DIRECTORATE-GENERAL
Directorate I - Environment
Environmental Technologies and Pollution Prevention

Brussels, 14 October 2004

DG RTD I.02/ D(2004)

WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM
Minutes 3rd Board Meeting, Brussels13-10-2004

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Andrea Tilche (DG RTD) and draw on the results of working sessions of various TWGs which took place the previous day; attendance extended to the majority of WSSTP board members andthe chairman of the EU MS Mirror Group.

More specifically, the main objectives of the meeting can be summarised as follows:

  • Presentation and review of work progress achieved within the various TWGs[1] with emphasis on scope of work, methodology and participation analysis
  • Discussion on a‘road map’ for the WSSTP as well as for the various WGs.
  • Follow-up of previous discussions on the organisation of the WSSTP stakeholder event
  • Discussion on interactions between the board and the MS Mirror Group
  • Presentation of the main features of a WSSTP website developed by the secretariat

The main elements of presentations of the various TWG were as follows:

TWG1[2] (Chair IAHR): The group chair informed the Board that a working session is scheduled on 26/10. By then, all comments from last discussions and comment by email to be included in an inception report to be structured in two parts (1st part Mandate and Methodology, 2nd part Discussion). An outline report is expected by the beginning of January. At present there are 12 members participating in relevant work.

TWG2[3] (Chair EUREAU): The group chair expressed his satisfaction on the work accomplished and contribution of participants. Reference made to discussions on modifying the title of the group in order to adequately reflect scope of coverage of rural water (domestic) systems. Work in the previous day concentrated on better defining the main challenges and drivers and establishing a first layout of prevailing relationships between main drivers. A number of issues have been identified as the subject of interfaces with other TWG as well as other TPs, e.g. Sustainable Chemistry TP, and Building TP. Finally, reference was made to the need of enhancingthe spectrum of participation, i.e. regulators, financial bodies, consultants, new MS, representatives from Southern European countries etc. The dates for the TWG2 meetings were fixed as follows: 10/11/2004, 08/11/2004, 24/01/2005 and 02/03/2005.

TWG3[4] (Chair EUCETSA): Following the presentationon the group’s suggested methodology, work plan and road map development process, the chair commented on the current limitations in terms of participation, and the relevant development of participation criteria. The relevant proposal is for 13 core members,representing 7-8 countries in order to fill participation gaps. It has also been suggested that a separate vision document is developed for each of the main industrial sectors and their specific research needs, with emphasis on their relevance and responsiveness to the TP; the objective is to combine agendas of industry and the WSSTP. It was also mentioned that relevant groups outside the WSSTP exist and have already produced documents, thus a need to capitalise on accomplished work. The meeting chair has advised the group to draw on work within IPPC Directive[5].The next meeting is scheduled on 08/11/2004.

TWG4[6](Chair NWP):After presenting the result of the group’s session[7],proposed methodological approach and the type of documents to be produced, the chaircommented on limitations of current participation and ways to address them. The participation target is for 10-12 persons; more input is needed from participants from Southern Europe; in addition the participation of organisations likeWHO and FAO shall be considered. The next meeting is anticipated for mid-November.

HWG: Prof.Wilderer is assuming the provisional chair of the group and has prepared some background material but could not be present in this meeting.Various matters were discussed by the board members, e.g. the consideration of gender issues due to their relevance to developing countries, the issue of patents and IPR etc. The meeting chair suggested that the HWG capitalises on input from relevant IPTS actions (ERAWATCH[8] water related components).

EU MS Mirror Group: The chair of the group emphasised the importance of the WSSTP addressing issues related to the MDGs and encouraged the board members to include relevant parts within the scope of their work. In this sense attention shall be given also to the participation of civil society organisations. In addition, he mentioned the need to ensure that the SRA approach shall address innovation and not be confined only to promotion of current knowledge/technologies. He also stated that the role and mandate of the EU MS Mirror Group is not the endorsement of the SRA, but the provision of a platform for extending the consultation process at national level. A group meeting is scheduled for mid-November to comment on TWG papers (subject to their completion); subsequent meetings would be planned accordingly taking also into consideration the final date for the WSSTP official stakeholder event.

In principle, the majority of board members agree on the importance of including MDGs, while recognising the challenging nature of the task; it has been contemplated whether this shall be considered as a matter to be addressed within the HWG.

Finally, in the course of the session Mr. Tilche gave continuous emphasis on the common objective of producing a draft Vision document and Strategic Research Agenda by mid January 2005, to be discussed in the stakeholder event (anticipated towards end of January/beginning of February 2005). A number of issues to be addressed towards achieving this objective are the following:

Extending the type and geographical origin of participation in the various TWGs[9] in order to reinforce the legitimacy and representativeness of resulting proposals.

Deciding on the form of interaction between the EU MS Mirror Group and the WSSTP WGs.

Prioritisation of the research areas/topics to be included in the SRA on the basis of their potential impact assessment and accompanying proposals on key technologies with indications of the appropriate tools for their evaluation/validation;

given that the pace of preparatory work towards FP7 is peaking up, it is important to have the first results readily available, and accessible on the web (even if they need to be revised) in order to provide for readily accessible feedback on WSSTP progress to Commission services as well as accelerate the open stakeholder consultation process.

Harmonising/synchronising sessions and work of TWGs, to the extent possible,so that at the WSSTP stakeholder event, presented documents are of similar level of development. In this sense, the following actions need to be pursued after each working group session:

  • production of minutes/reports on core topics as discussed in the various sessions;
  • their dissemination through dedicated mailing lists for each working groupwith request for comments within specific timeframes in anticipation of subsequent working group sessions, board meetings etc.
  • uploading on the relevant websites[10]of the above mentioned documentssoon after working sessions for public consultation, asking for contributions;
  • summary of received comments and production of updated versions;
  • uploading on the mentioned websites of updated versions before subsequent WSSTP meetings.

Finally, members of the WSSTP secretariat presented the main features of a website developed in order to support information dissemination and consultation processes.

Follow-Up

  • All working groups shall prepare for the next Board meeting,a note commenting on the typology of their initial group of stakeholders participatingin their respective sessions and propose their approach for extending participation to other stakeholders, with emphasis on underrepresented groups (legislators, civil society etc).
  • All TGWs chairs shall exchange information on the exact scope of their respective groups in order to decide on form of collaborative work and suitable ways to address relevant aspects in an integrated manner avoiding excessive overlapping (=links to the other TWGs) and definition of scope of the HWG.
  • The earliest uploading of documents on the Commission’s CIRCA (background documents) and presented WSSTP website shall be given adequate attention in order to enhance communication between the members of the various groups and accelerate the launching of the open consultation process.
  • The Sustainable Chemistry TP (CEFIC)shall be also invited to participate in TWG3.
  • Starting with the next WSSTP Board meeting, planned for the 16th November 2004,relevant coordination activities shall be assumed by the Board Secretariat, with the Commission facilitating the overall process, where appropriate Therefore, Board members shall forward in advance to the Secretariat their proposals and views with regard to the appointment of the WSSTP Board Chairperson.

Encl:Annex I–Attendance List

Annex I – Attendance List

Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform

Wednesday 13 October 2004

Title / First name / Family Name / E-mail / Organisation
Mr. / Frédéric / de Hemptinne / / EUREAU
Mr. / Durk / Krol / EUREAU
Mr / Robbert / Droop / / VROM
Min Environment, The Netherlands
Mr. / Michel / Gibert / / VEOLIA
Mr. / Bert / Jansen / / NWP
Dr. / Gaele S. / Rodenhuis / / IAHR/European Hydraulic Labs
Mr. / Claude / Roulet / / Schlumberger
Water Services
Dr. / Neil / Runnalls / / Euraqua
Dr. / Jean-Philippe / Torterotot / / Citynet
Mr. / Riku / Vahala / / EUREAU
Dr. / Theo / van den Hoven / / Weknow
Dr. / Tom / Vereijken / / EUCETSA
Dr. / Adriana / Hullsmann / / WeKnow
Mr. / Erik / Kemink / / NWP
Dr. / Paul / Schosseler / / CRP Henri Tudor
Mr. / Lionel / Platteuw / / EUCETSA
Dr. / Tuomo / Karjalainen / / EC DG RTD
Dr. / Andrea / Tilche / / EC-DG RTD
Mr. / Avelino / Gonzalez Gonzalez / / EC-DG RTD
Mr. / Zissimos / Vergos / / EC-DG RTD
Dr. / Panagiotis / Balabanis / / EC-DG RTD

- 1 -

[1]Following also working sessions of TWGs 2,3 and 4 which took place on 12/10 in the Commission premises in Brussels. TWG1 has planned for a similar meeting in Brussels on 26/10/2004.

[2]Water Management tools: monitoring, surveillance, EO systems, modelling tools, DSS, flood forecasting, flood management tools, flood defense technologies, water for ecosystems (quality, quantity)

[3]Urban and Peri-urban Water Systems to be focussed on integrated aspects of water supply, sewerage and treatment of wastewater and biosolids, and water reuse (direct/indirect)

[4]Water in industry

[5]

[6]Water in Agriculture

[7]Session jointly undertaken with TWG3.

[8]

[9]Though the initial general criterion for participation has been competence and representativeness of individual experts/organisations, still there is a wide scope for expansion in particular with regard to larger ‘geographical’ footprint.

[10] Temporarily uploading on the Commission’s CIRCA website until the WSSTP Secretariat website is fully operational.