EAG gives views on marine and freshwater research
The European Commission, Directorate General XII, has published the opinion of the external advisory group (EAG) for the key actions of the Framework Five Programme on "Sustainable Management and Quality of Water" and "Sustainable Marine Ecosystems". The report is a product of three EAG meetings to examine the Commission's preliminary discussion document on elements for preparing the Work programme for the two key actions. The report concludes that the proposed programmes are consistent with the water and ecosystems key actions and are consistent with the aims and research and technological development (RTD) priorities set out in the Council's provisional orientation of13 October 1998, concerning the specific RTD programmes on "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development". EAG also identified strategic elements, deliverables, and targets, as well as the contents and relative weights of the different themes and sub-themes as areas which would further enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of addressing the RTD needs of the European Community. The group identified the following list of priorities for 1999: - Sustainable management and Quality of Water: - - Integrated management of water resources and systems; - - Pollution detection and monitoring; - - Ecological quality; - - Optimisation of systems in water deficient regions; - - Rehabilitation of Contaminated sites, sediments and groundwater - Sustainable marine ecosystems: - - Mechanisms of marine biodiversity evolution; - - Better assessment of naturally occurring ecosystem functioning; - - Recovery of degraded systems and necessary framework conditions; - - Combating the effects of anthropogenic activities on the marine environment; - - Transport pathways and impact of pollutants, key elements and nutrients in the marine environment. The report is available in PDF format from the website: URL: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/fp5/eag-marine1.html