The Water Framework Directive (WFD) required Member States to report their River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) by March 2010. In November 2012, the European Commission published a report which included among other things a review of progress in the implementation of the Directive and a survey of the River Basin Management Plans, including suggestions for the improvement of future plans.

In addition, in November 2012 the European Commission published a Blueprint for Water which identified the future direction for EU Water Policy. The Blueprint built upon the results of a Fitness Check of EU Water Policy, an in-depth analysis of certain aspects of the RBMPs, and other technical studies.

As part of a pan-European consortium of 14 institutions in a core team led by WRc, Ecologic Institute supports the European Commission in the development and implementation of EU freshwater policies. The main objective is:

• To provide independent, impartial and punctual necessary work and advice on scientific, socio-economic and technical issues related to the issues dealt with within the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Floods Directive
• To provide technical assistance to the European Commission in the assessment and compliance checking of the implementation of the EU water legislation (WFD, Priority Substances Directive, Groundwater Directive and Floods Directive)
• To provide technical assistance to the European Commission in assessing inter-linkages between WFD implementation and other pieces of EU water legislation and how to better ensure mutual benefits of implementation and integration of water policy into other EU policies areas
• To provide technical assistance to the Commission in the development of the Water Information System for Europe
• To provide technical assistance to the European Commission in new policy developments and specific areas of study as a follow-up of the Blueprint