Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minutes of Evidence


Annex

KEY DEADLINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE IN ENGLAND
DateAction
22 December 2000Directive entered into force (article 22)
22 December 2003bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive (article 24)
identify competent authority (article 3)
22 June 2004provide Commission with list of competent authorities (article 3)
22 December 2004for each District, complete analysis of characteristics of the surface and groundwaters, review the environmental impact of human activity (industry, farming etc) and prepare economic analysis of water use (article 5)
establish register or registers of Protected Areas (articles 6 and 7)
22 December 2005In the absence of agreement at Community level, of criteria for identifying significant and sustained upward trends in groundwater pollution and for the definition of starting points for trend reversals, Member States to establish appropriate criteria (Article 17(4)) In the absence of criteria at national level, trend reversal is to start at 75 per cent of quality standards applicable to groundwater in existing Community legislation (article 17, 5)
22 December 2006make operational monitoring programmes to ensure comprehensive view of water quality status within each River Basin District (article 8)
publish and consult on a timetable and work programmes for the production of River Basin Management Plans for each River Basin District (article 14)
in the absence of agreement at Community level, for substances included on the first priority list (see article 16), member states to establish environmental quality standards for all surface water affected by discharges of those substances and controls on principal sources of discharges (same obligation to apply five years after subsequent inclusion of a priority substance in the list, in the absence of Community agreement) (article 16)
22 December 2007publish and consult on an interim overview of significant water management issues for each River Basin District (article 14)
22 December 2008publish and consult on drafts of the River Basin Management Plans (at least 6 months to be allowed for comments in all the above cases) (article 14)
22 December 2009establish programmes of measures in each River Basin District in order to deliver environmental objectives (article 11)
publish first River Basin Management Plan for each River Basin District, including environmental objectives for each body of surface or groundwater and details of programmes of measures (article 13)
22 December 2010ensure proper water pricing policies are in place (article 9)
22 December 2012make operational programmes of measures in each River Basin District to deliver environmental objectives (article 11)
interim progress reports to be prepared on progress in implementing planned programmes of measures (article 15)
22 December 2015main environmental objectives to be met (article 4)
22 December 2015 and every six years thereafter review and update plans (with same consultation and interim reporting arrangements described above) (articles 13, 14 and 15)



 
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