The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive - What were the challenges?

Abstract

Twenty years ago, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) was introduced into the European landscape of aquatic environment management, with the political ambition of achieving good status for all surface, groundwater and coastal water bodies by 2015. In view of the management practices in force in 2000 in most European countries, the task of implementing this directive was immense. Two privileged witnesses share their experiences during this period, Stéphane Stroffek, head of the knowledge and planning department at the Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica Water Agency, and Yves Souchon, research director at INRAE, directly involved in the technical and scientific support of the WFD within a hydro-ecology laboratory in Lyon.