The European Water Framework Directive and water management research

Abstract The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the most important EU directive in the water field over the past decades. The WFD requires “good water status” for all European waters by 2015, to be achieved through a system of participatory river basin management planning and supported by several assessments and extensive monitoring. A lot of research is required to implement the WFD. This research should be inter- or multidisciplinary, participatory and pragmatic.