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WFD and Nature Directives. Marc Thauront Brussels 28 January 2009. WFD and Nature Directives. Time to question ? Example of recent workshops/meetings
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WFD and Nature Directives Marc Thauront Brussels 28 January 2009
WFD and Nature Directives Time to question ? Example of recent workshops/meetings • Workshop Eurosite/Natural England Peterborough, United Kingdom. 17-18 September 2008: ‘Integration of the Water Framework Directive and Natura 2000’ • Workshop Paralia Nature, Brussels. 7-8 October 2008: ‘Natura 2000, the Water Framework Directive and the EU Marine Strategy’ • Paralia Nature, Brussels. 18 November 2008, meeting with DG-ENV Nature unit • Other : Brandenburg in 2005, Wadden sea (CWSS), Harbasins … Places for answers? • WFD through CIS and guidance documents • BHD through guidance documents • No common documents
WFD and Nature Directives Common natural targets ? • WFD focuses on all aquatic ecosystems. They are just divided in river basins and water bodies with several categories (rivers, lakes, transitional waters or coastal waters) and several types defined by MS within categories. • Within the Habitat Directive, natural habitats are defined as (terrestrial or) aquatic areas distinguished by geographic, abiotic and biotic features. It includes open sea, tidal areas and freshwater habitats (standing waters and running waters), e.g. 3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation • It is relatively easy to find a correspondence between WFD categories and HD habitats types but there is no direct correspondence between water types from WFD and habitat types from HD. • WFD is not specifically targeting species whereas nature directives target species : • Through the protection of the habitat of specific species (annex 1 of BD, annex 2 of HD) including numerous aquatic and semi-aquatic species • Through the mandatory need to include conservation status of typical species (to be determined per habitat by MS) as a component of the conservation status of habitats • With a specific protection regime • As Natura 2000 sites are protected areas under WFD, the relevance of species issues for the ecological status is questionable
WFD and Nature Directives Frequent questions ? Example of recent questions: • Id there a difference in the general objective ? • How are Nature directives and WFD-art.4.1.C related ? “Member States shall achieve compliance with any standards and objectives…” • At which time the BHD conservation objectives as far as water aspects are concerned must be realized? 2015, with possibility of phasing to 2021 or 2027 ? • What is relation between good ecological status (GES) or potential (GEP) and BHD conservation objectives ? • Is there a relation between HD-art.6.3 & 6.4 and WFD-art. 4.7? • How does specific provisions of WFD-art.4.3 (HMWBs) apply to Natura 2000 sites? • What are the relations between RBMP and HD-art. 6.1 and 6.2? • How can monitoring schemes of both directives be merged ?
WFD and Nature Directives Decision The Water unit and Nature and Biodiversity unit of DG ENV will elaborate together a Frequently Asked Questions document providing answers and further analysis. This will serve the purposes of several working groups (estuaries, rivers…). The guidance schemes of both units will be respected, including CIS prescriptions.