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As
a result of more than five years of discussions and negotiations,
the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) entered
into force in 2000. The Directive sets a framework for the protection
of all waters with the aim of reaching a “good ecological
status” of all Community waters by 2015. The successful implementation
of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) depends strongly on agricultural
land use, which is mainly influenced by the Common Agricultural
Policy (CAP). Over time, the spectrum of topics discussed has been
widened and new challenges coming from climate change, bioenergy
production and increasing water scarcity and droughts have been
incorporated.
Acknowledging this, the Water Directors agreed in June 2004 to take
action in the field of agriculture and water management. To this
aim they established an EU Strategic Steering Group (SSG)
on WFD and Agriculture, which is currently led by the UK, France
and the Environment Directorate-General of the European Commission
with technical support from the Directorate-General for Agriculture
and Rural Development (RD). During the work realised in 2005-2006,
the EU Strategic Steering Group on Agriculture (SSG) mainly
focused its activity on identifying the gaps between WFD requirements
and what the existing CAP may deliver. All papers produced can be
found in the background section of this website.
However, the level of analysis possible under the 2005/06 mandate
was limited regarding potential measures, as the analysis took place
before the publication of the river basin management plans
and their associated programmes of measures (that must be drafted
by 2008 and adopted by 2009). Few practical case studies were therefore
available and part of this work remains theoretical.
In order to address these gaps, the SSG decided to focus specifically
on the compilation of alternative ideas, measures and solutions
and their impacts into a catalogue of measures. This catalogue should
also bring together the experiences and knowledge available in the
Member States. A version of the catalogue of measures can be found
here.
For its work program for 2007 to 2009, the SSG decided to focus
on the exchange of information and to asess the national rural development
programs under the CAP. Such an assessment is also needed to design
the specific implementation rules of Art 38 RDR, which in particular
focuses on the implementation of the WFD, and also to draw lessons
learned for the further development of EU agricultural and rural
areas policies.
Part of the work carried out by the SSG are regular meetings but
also large scale conferences. The 2008
event is the fourth conference in a series of conferences (London
2005, Vienna 2006, Paris
2007) directed towards stakeholders and policy-makers from the
agricultural and water sectors in EU-27 Member States and will focus
on the linkages between the WFD and the CAP.
Ecologic supported the SSG from the beginning.
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