Eduard Interwies, Senior Economist at Ecologic, presented an assessment of the impact on the German water sector of recent developments concerning the potential liberalisation of water services at EU level.

The precautionary principle is one of the fundamental principles of the European Union governing policies related to the environment, health and food safety. To achieve a better understanding of the application of the precautionary principle in European policy Ecologic advised the Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales (IDDRI) in the framework of the project "European Precautionary practice".

The study analyses and evaluates the enforcement of environmental Community law by German administrative law as well as the national law of the EU Member States. For these purposes, the efficiency of national administrative measures in guaranteeing the protection of the environment as requested by specific European Directives and Regulations is illustrated in theory and practice.

This publication provides practical examples of experience with economic instruments in water management, mainly in European and other OECD countries. It assists in identifying appropriate instruments for the Latin American and Caribbean context and demonstrates the constraints and impediments to their introduction.

Each spring, the European Council meets in order to discuss Europe's progress towards becoming the most competitive economy in the world. At the same time, progress in the area of sustainable development is reviewed. The Working Group on Sustainable Development of the European Environmental Advisory Councils (EEAC) is preparing recommendations as an input to the spring meetings. Ecologic helped the Working Group in drafting the EEAC recommendations for 2004.

A river at the heart of Europe, the Rhine has a length of 1320 km and a catchment area of 185,000 sq km. The population density and the degree of urbanisation and industrialisation in its basin have presented a particular water management and river development challenges in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

"The Transatlantic Dialogue on climate change is as important as ever". This was one of the results of a Dinner Dialogue with Prof. David A. Wirth. 19 representatives from policy making, research institutes, NGOs and business came together to informally discuss climate change and the future of the Kyoto Protocol from a transatlantic perspective.

RhineNet aimed at promoting public participation within the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Rhine river basin through the co-operation of various institutions and organisations. The project's final conference was held on 15 and 16 November 2006 in Luxembourg. The conference presented the project's results, provide for experience exchange with other projects dealing with public participation and water management, present and further develop a vision for future co-operation among RhineNet members, and provide a platform for discussion of future approaches within the Rhine Net.

Ecologic is analysing major public expenditure programmes to support environmental infrastructure investments in water supply and wastewater management in different OECD countries of the European Union. Following their evaluation, "lessons learned" for OECD non-member countries will be drawn up. All results will be published in a study.

On the state of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Danube River Basin, a Roof Report 2004 was developed by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube and delivered to the European Commission in addition to the national reports. Ecologic Institute developed the chapter on Heavily Modified and Artificial Water Bodies.

This brochure introduces the Aarhus Convention and shows which rights to information, to participation and to file suit citizens are entitled to in the area of the environment, and how they can exercise these rights.

Ecologic analyses the German approach to flood protection by looking at existing legislation and the furthering of policy development. Strengths and weaknesses have been outlined and conclusions and recommendations are drawn in a paper.