water.europa.eu

8-c) Expert Group & 8-c) Expert Group & River Basin Network River Basin Network

AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

Strategic Co-ordination GroupStrategic Co-ordination Group

Brussels, 11 November 2010Brussels, 11 November 2010

Nicolas Rouyer & Ville Keskisarja Nicolas Rouyer & Ville Keskisarja European CommissionEuropean CommissionDG EnvironmentDG EnvironmentWater Unit (D1)Water Unit (D1)

Overview presentation:Overview presentation:

1. Key events in the period

2. Upcoming key events & deadlines

3. Progress CIS work programme deliverables contribution to CAP reform kick-off of the new RBN

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1. Key events in the period1. Key events in the period

• Second biannual Expert Group meeting

• Kick-off meeting of the new River Basin Network on WFD & agriculture

• Annual conference on water & agriculture dedicated to the “application of EU water related policies at farm level”

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Joint event in Louvain-la-Neuve under the Belgian Presidency on

27-28-29 September 2010:

Joint event in Louvain-la-Neuve under the Belgian Presidency on

27-28-29 September 2010:

Louvain la NeuveLouvain la Neuve

2. Upcoming key events and deadlines2. Upcoming key events and deadlines

• First biannual meeting of the EG in Brussels in March/April 2011

• First workshop of the RBN mid 2011 in addition to small ad-hoc meetings on targeted issues

• Annual conference on water & agriculture to take place in September 2011 in Warszawa under the Polish Presidency

• Second biannual meeting of the EG back to back with the annual conference in Poland

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3. Work programme deliverables3. Work programme deliverables

Discussion on Article 38 implementation:

• Rural Development article to support WFD mandatory measures for farmers

• Only one MS intending to implement it at short term

• Reasons for this situation were debated

This point will be addressed at the next Water Directors’meeting with the general issue of mandatory measures for farmers

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3. Work programme deliverables3. Work programme deliverables

Contribution to the CIS ad-hoc activity on research:

• The aim was to identify the research needs for the better implementation of the WFD in the agricultural sector

• The EG provided an input to the CIS ad-hoc activity on research

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3. Work programme deliverables3. Work programme deliverables

Farm Advisory Services Handbook:

• Ideas for administrations about integrating water issues in farm advisory services

• EG members developed a handbook outlining examples & approaches for organizing farm advisory on water protection

• The final handbook was endorsed in Seville and translated into all EU languages in Sept 2010

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3. Work programme deliverables3. Work programme deliverables

Start of 2 studies on water & agriculture:

• COM has just launched 2 one-year studies on water & agriculture (one on water pricing & the other on water saving)

• It was decidezd to associate closely the EG & RBN members to the exercise

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

Last May in Segovia (ES), Water Directors:

• Welcomed the 1st keynote by the Expert Group

• Drafter a statement on CAP reform & water protection

ES Presidency transmitted the statement with the keynote as annex to DG AGRI

• Mandated the Expert Group for an additional keynote

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

The 2nd keynote by the Expert Group:

• Is a deliverable by the Expert Group not to be endorsed by the SCG nor the Water Directors

• Gathers ideas of the experts, which don’t commit COM, MS or partners

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

The 2nd keynote by the Expert Group:

• Listed different ideas to feed the current debate on next CAP under a water perspective

• Ideas were submitted to a poll to identify the trends in the Expert Group

• It was sent to DG AGRI & taken into consideration for the inter-service consultation on the coming Communication

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

Different technical aspects were addressed:• Type of payments• Funding needed• Targeting of measures• Ceiling of the support• Controls & cross-compliance• Safeguard mechanisms• Administrative burden for farmers & administrations• Co-operative approach with the farmers• Duration of the contracts & payment modalities• Farm advice and training• Administration working together

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

Just a focus on controls & cross-compliance (1/2):

• Mandatory measures & voluntary measures should be both controlled (87,5%)

• Controls of mandatory measures should be increased up to a significant rate (55%)

• Control should focus mainly on practices, not on administrative issues (85%)

• Farmers should participate when controls take place (85%)

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Contribution to the debate on CAP reformContribution to the debate on CAP reform

Just a focus on controls & cross-compliance (2/2):

• Controls should be developed on robust scientific basis & should be concentrated on priority issues (85%

• Cross-compliance should be strenghtened (62,5%)• Cross-compliance is not a substitute for normal

controls (82,5%)• Non-gouvernemental controls should be welcome

(62,5%)

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River basins networkRiver basins network

New Mandate 2010-2012:

• Drafted by the JRC and DG ENV with the support of the PRB-AGRI network

• Identified as a sub group of the Expert Group on WFD & agriculture

• Endorsed by the Water Directors In May 2010• Invitation letter sent in end of June

The aim of the RBN is to exchange experiences to support the WFD implementation by providing practical examples/cases of good practices in RBMP’s

Moselle-SarreDE, LUX, FRA

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River basins networkRiver basins network

Tasks identified in the Mandate:

Task 1. Evaluation of the measures and enhancement of the CAOM

• Each RB will select and evaluate measures of most interest to them• Evaluation factsheet includes effects, implementation, acceptance

and social/financial/legal aspects of a measure• Output will be an in depth evaluation of around 10 key agricultural

measures in RBMPs

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River basins networkRiver basins network

Tasks identified in the Mandate:

Task 2. Evaluation of specific issues in the RBMPs• Specific issues related to RBMP and/or PoM and agriculture will be

dealt closer within small groups (ad hoc working groups)• Output will be short articles or information sheets on 4-5 issues to

support Expert Group on WFD & agriculture• Short list of possible topics (tentative, to be approved by RBN members):

– Indicators to monitor the implementation of the PoM– Financing the agricultural measures in the PoM– Farmers involvement, strategies and experiences– Interplay between the Flood Directive and flood related measures in the

PoM of WFD– Cost effectiveness of agricultural measures

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River basins networkRiver basins network

Next steps:

In coming months• Selection of specific issues by the end November• Further development of the RBN’s Web platform• Activities start in January 2011• Written contribution to SCG and WFD Agri in the beginning of 2011In 2011 - 2012• Three workshops (mid 2011, early 2012 and late 2012)• Small ad hoc working groups and telemeetings for specific issues