Water Framework Directive (An “Open up” Tool for Public Participation in Water Policy)

The new EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60 prescribes an adaptive water governance system and has been the European Union's most comprehensive tool for the management and protection of water resources. This article analyses how WFD encourages the active involvement of “all interested parties” and represents how public participation has a key role in successful implementation. The aim of this paper is to understand the functioning and effectiveness of the new model introduced to address the lack of implementation of EU environmental rules, as WFD since its introduction in 2000, requires member states to design and implement river basin management plans via participatory processes. Moreover, we have identified that Common Implementation Strategy of WFD was designed as a tool for public participation and stakeholder involvement to river basin management planning and how participatory approaches are implemented as the new "governance" within the EU in the field of environmental policy.