13th International Conference "EUROPE-INBO 2015": FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN WATER DIRECTIVES

Within the context created by the European Commission “Blueprint”, our meeting will be organized around a preparatory workshop and 4 roundtables dealing with the updated issues of the field Implementation of the WFD and other European Water Directives. We shall especially study the means for better integration of the processes, new measures to cope with the main challenges that are: diffuse pollution, hydro-morphology, adaptation to climate change, prevention of droughts and floods, the need to get the stakeholders more involved in the field implementation of these measures, the economic tools and the funding of the Programmes of Measures, etc.

The preparatory workshop on diffuse pollution control will take place on the 21st October in the afternoon. It will aim to exchange on the practices used by the various Member States, to highlight the multiple benefits of the undertaken actions, and to prepare recommendations on the way of implementing them. These will then be presented at a plenary session. This workshop is organized with the support of the National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments (ONEMA, France); its work will be published later on.

The 4 Roundtables will be organized in plenary on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October:

• Roundtable 1: Measures of adaptation to the effects of climate change - "Water" component of the COP21 in Paris in 2015. Preparation of WFD 2nd Management Plans (2016-2021): Integration of water quantity issues; Better integration with other EU Directives (Flood and Marine Strategy) and with other EU sectoral policies; Natural Water Retention Measures…
• Roundtable 2: Water governance in Transboundary Basins: International Districts; Role and means of International Commissions; Bi and Multilateral Agreements and Conventions, Implementation of WFD principles and tools and of the Floods Directive in EU Neighbouring Countries, riparian of transboundary basins…
• Roundtable 3: The financing of water policy and economic analysis. Implementation and funding of Programmes of Measures: Mobilization of funds and especially access to EU Structural Funds; Principle of cost recovery; Economic analysis for cost-effective combination of measures.
• Roundtable 4: Local processes for the application of the Directives (tributaries, aquifers, bays….) and the participation of local stakeholders (Local Authorities, farmers, industrialists, electricians, inland waterway carriers, fishermen and fish farmers, NGOs, etc.), Public involvement…

You are invited to present a paper on your experiments.

The works will be in English but simultaneous translation into French will be provided if necessary.

A specific issue will concern the Peer Review Mechanism, launched at the end of 2014 on the initiative of the European Commission with voluntary District Authorities.

A technical visit will be organized in the Salonika region, on Saturday 24 October in the morning.

The meeting is open to the Water Directors; to all River Basin District Authorities, to all INBO member organizations and observers, and also to the water administrations and organizations, interested in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, and of its “Daughter and related Directives”, of the member and candidate countries of the European Union and of all the other countries of Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia and of the Mediterranean basin.

Registration to the “EUROPE-INBO 2015” conference is free of charge but compulsory. You will find here the form necessary for your registration.

In order to facilitate the good organization of the meeting and your best welcoming in Salonika, I thank you in advance for returning, at your earliest convenience, this form to: inbo@inbo-news.org or by Fax: +33 1 40 08 01 45.

Any useful information, programmes and papers will be continuously available on the website:
www.inbo-news.org.

I would advise you to arrive at the Salonika International Airport on Tuesday, 20 October 2015. If your agenda allows it, you could leave Salonika on Saturday 24 October in the afternoon or on Sunday 25.

Our Greek hosts will take charge of the local travels in Salonika and its region, together with lunches and dinners, from Wednesday 21 October evening to Friday 23 October evening (dinner included).

The list of the selected hotels will be sent to you when you register.

Unfortunately, INBO cannot support any cost for your international travels and your accommodation in Salonika.