CIS SPI Conference: "Water science meets policy: How to streamline knowledge to address WFD challenges?"

On behalf of the European Commission and ONEMA, we are pleased to invite you to take part in the third event of the Science Policy Interface (SPI) activity under the WFD Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) framework on "Water science meets policy: How to streamline knowledge to address WFD challenges?". The event will take place in Brussels on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 November 2012.

In the context of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its daughter Directives and the Floods Directiveimplementation, the ad‐hoc (2010‐2012) Common Implementation Strategy group dedicated to Science PolicyInterface (co‐led by the European Commission (DG Research and innovation) and France (ONEMA)) aims to ensure a seamless and dynamic interface between science and policy and thus provide science and evidence‐based support to the implementation of the WFD and other water‐related directives.

This event, being the third in a series, will focus on how to improve the transfer and usability of the researchoutputs and promote knowledge‐brokering practices and operational structure to streamline theirimplementation, on the basis of several “SPI success stories”.The first event held in 2010 focused on the identification of research needs associated with the implementation  of the WFD, its daughter Directives and the Floods Directive.

The second one held in 2011 dealt withknowledge transfer related to the use of the ecosystem services approach in the context of the implementationof the WFD, its daughter Directives and the Floods Directive.Scope of the workshopThis event will begin with a presentation of the state of play and outcomes of CIS‐SPI (achievements, results,strengths and weaknesses, lessons learnt) and continue with:

1) Demonstration of the added value of science‐policy interface: success stories in the water sector regarding SPI activities worldwide and at European, national and river basin levels
2) Elaboration on structures, mechanisms and actors to ensure an active, continuous, dynamic and sustainablescience‐policy interface in the CIS context
3) Investigation of methods and tools for knowledge brokering and "customisation" of the information toaddress the users' needs at the various levels (EU, national, river basin), including cross‐scaling issues, andrealistic ways of addressing them within the current CIS structureThis workshop will alternate plenary sessions, panel discussions and roundtable discussions and will seek your active participation in tackling the workshop’s objectives and sharing your experiences.

This workshop is by invitation only.

Please find the invitation letter on the link below: http://cisspi-registration.teamwork.fr/docs/invitation_letter.pdf

The link to the registration website is: http://cisspi-registration.teamwork.fr