This book chapter gives an introduction into the environmental policy instruments for the protection of water bodies and reports on a practical case study regarding groundwater management in Hessisches Ried. Starting off with this instrumental approach, the chapter introduces the objectives of the German Working Group of the Federal States on water issues (LAWA) with regard to surface water. It continues with the strategic approach as it was embodied in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and finally presents the actors in the area of water policy.

The Yearbook Ecology 2005 will be published at the end of September 2004. Ecologic is one of the institutes supporting this yearbook. This year's focus is on Renewable Energy, Resource Conflicts, and Sustainable Economy.

In order to support the Austrian Federal Ministry for the Environment in the development of a waste reduction and recycling strategy for the Austrian Waste Management Plan 2006, Ecologic completed the study “Waste Avoidance and Recycling on the Basis of Producer Responsibility”. The study features a detailed analysis of extended producer responsibility as a policy instrument for waste-reduction and increased recycling in Austria. The focus is on the characteristics of successful extended producer responsibility programmes and the preconditions necessary for their successful implementation. The study also investigates economic, technical, social and juridical aspects of the policy instrument. The study is now available for download.

The Water Framework Directive stipulates the implementation of measures for a step-wise reduction and phase-out of emissions and losses of a group of 33 priority and priority hazardous substances. In the context of this project, strategies for emission reduction will be developed. Ecologic provides expert legal advice for developing and supporting the German position in the negotiations at EU level.

The EC increasingly participates in multilateral environmental agreements alongside its Member States. The appearance of both EC and Member States raises questions of competences for the negotiation, conclusion and implementation of such international instruments. In particular in the field of marine environment, substantial progress is hindered by an opaque division of competences between the EC and its Member States and lack of coordination. Accordingly, the German Federal Environmental Agency commissioned Ecologic and Professor Astrid Epiney with the task of analysing the division of external competences between the EC and its Member States, taking into account the OSPAR-Convention. The results of this project have now been published as a book.

According to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), all water bodies in the European Union should reach 'good status' by 2015. The WFD is one of the first environmental policy directives of the European Community that explicitly draws on economic considerations for achieving its ambitious objectives. By the end of 2004, an economic analysis of the importance of water uses has to be completed for each river basin district. This article summarises the present implementation status of the economic analysis in Germany and other European Member States and outlines challenges ahead for the reporting deadline 2004.

This article examines the potential impact of eastern enlargement on EU environmental governance. Whereas some observers see eastern enlargement as a potential threat to EU environmental governance, this contribution argues that it should be seen as an opportunity to intensify ongoing reform efforts. Ingmar von Homeyer from Ecologic Institute was the author of this article.

A large number of environmental policy instruments do not only serve environmental objectives, but have also positive impacts on the economy and employment. The European Parliament asked Ecologic for independent expert advise on the job creation potential of clean technologies and win-win situations in this policy area. The project results are available for download.

After extensive discussions and despite reasonable fears of failure, in June 2004 EU leaders finally adopted the Constitutional Treaty, which will replace the Nice Treaty. After signing the Constitutional Treaty in autumn 2004, Member States will have two years to ratify it. This article presents an environmental analysis of the draft Treaty as submitted by the Convention on the Future of Europe in July 2003.

The economic analysis according to Article 5 of the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) must be completed by the end of 2004. In Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is the lead authority in the WFD implementation process. In this context, SEPA commissioned this project to scope the economic analysis in the WFD with regard to its implementation in Scotland.

This article focuses on the elements of the Water Framework Directive referring to transboundary water courses and analyses the current need for their improvement throughout Europe in order to mitigate the effects of flooding.

The reform of the energy law - initiated on the grounds of new EU directives - has led to a fundamental paradigm shift in Germany. Ecologic is supporting the German Federal Ministry for the Environment by assessing the revised energy law (Energiewirtschaftsgesetz - EnWG) and its regulations drafted by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour, paying particular attention to the environmental aspects.