In this chapter of the Handbook for the EU-Water Framework Directive, Stephan von Keitz and R. Andreas Kraemer present the possibilities for diverse stakeholder involvement – including agriculture, industry, water, transportation policy and others. The options are organised into short- and long-term implementation recommendations.

This chapter in the Handbook for the EU-Water Framework Directive addresses the causes of hydromorphological shortcomings and the consequences of hydraulic engineering interventions on the ecological status of water bodies. The authors, Stephan von Keitz and R. Andreas Kraemer, analyse the possibilities to bring navigational interests, the use of hydropower, and flood control measures in line with the goals of the Water Framework Directive.

Transport subsidies are a significant piece of the policy framework that influences public and private decisions about transport. This study gathered financial data about all types of European transport subsidies and provided estimates of these subsidies' annual values. As project lead, Ecologic was responsible for the study design, data presentation and final report.

The EU Water Framework Directive has been a key influence for water policies in Europe since its entry into force in 2000. A first review and stocktaking of the Directive's impact is scheduled for 2007 by the European Commission. In this context, DG Environment has asked a consortium to provide information on the costs and benefits of the WFD implementation, with a particular focus on the agricultural sector.

The Lisbon strategy was re-launched in 2005 with a strengthened focus on growth and jobs across Europe but also with an emphasis on coherence with the Sustainable Development Strategy. The objective of this project is to develop a methodology for assessing to which extent the environmental component has been taken into account in the National Reform Programms (NRPs) and how committed the Member States are to delivering their pledges made. NRP are key tools for the implementation of the renewed Lisbon Strategy.

The focus of this brief report is on EU environmental policy and environmentally relevant aspects of EU energy policy. A brief description of the initial situation in both policy areas is followed by examples of possible areas of application of differentiated integration. The first section discusses the potential benefits of differentiated integration in different areas of EU environmental policy, while the second section focuses more on implementation options. For the examples from the EU energy policy, advantages and implementation possibilities are discussed directly one after the other in one section for presentation reasons. The short report is available for download.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), a symposium was held in Berlin on 6 June 2006. Camilla Bausch chaired the Forum on "European and International Environmental Policy".

Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2006: EU-Enlargement – A Success Story? Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

The Chinese legal framework on public interest litigation in environmental matters shall be strengthened in order to address threatening large-scale environmental damage due to China's industrial development process. Existing concepts of other countries have exemplary character. In the framework of the project, Ecologic drew up a report on public interest litigation in Germany, which was subsequently  presented at a workshop organised by the GTZ in Beijing in the fall of 2006. The report and the presentation are available for download.

This project covers new environmental policy initiatives in 2006 in the EU Member States and Acceding Countries. Relevant information is collected and analysed against the background of the renewed Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) and the Lisbon Strategy.

Nicole Kranz and Antje Vorwerk of Ecologic paid a visit to the Amudarya Basin in Uzbekistan in May 2006. Main research interests were the information exchange in transboundary river basin management and the co-ordination of international donor organisations in their support for regional water management strategies in the Amudarya Basin. A central event during this trip was the ‘Workshop on Information Exchange in Transboundary River Basins’, held in Urgench, Uzbekistan, organised in co-operation with the Tashkent Institute for Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanisation (TIIM). Experts and scientists from the three main riparian states of the Amudarya – Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – participated in this international workshop.

Müssner, Rainer; Anna Leipprand; Stephanie Schlegel et al. 2006: Deliverable 5 – CROSS-COMPLIANCE Facilitating the CAP reform: Compliance and competitiveness of European agriculture - Mandatory standards in 7 EU countries and 3 non-EU countries – Germany Country Report. Ecologic – Institute for International and European Environmental Policy, Berlin.

Mechel, Friederike; Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf; Peter Sprang et al. 2006: Public Procurement and Forest Certification: Assessing the Implications for Policy, Law and International Trade. Comparing major certification schemes: FSC, PEFC, CSA, MTCC and SFI. Ecologic Institute: Berlin.

The current and future impact of the European Union on the sustainable development of its neighbours to the south and east and proposals for the future direction of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) were the themes of this session that took place at the 2006 Annual Conference of the European Foundation Centre (EFC). During the event an Ecologic Brief on European Neighbourhood Policy , written by Sascha Müller-Kraenner, was launched.