This document reports on a joint project by the European Commission DG Environment and the OECD Environment Directorate. The project included a series of four thematic workshops on various dimensions of the economic pillar of the Water Framework Directive, convened during the first semester of 2022. The Synthesis workshop drew the threads together. Each thematic workshop was informed by a thematic background note; main features of the discussion were captured in discussion highlights. The background notes, the discussion highlights of the four thematic projects are compiled at: https://www.oecd.org/water/dg-env-economics-of-wfd.htm.
The report is an output of the OECD Environment Policy Committee (EPOC) and its Working Party on Working Party on Biodiversity, Water and Ecosystems (WPBWE). The OECD team was coordinated by Xavier Leflaive. Aude Farnault, Marijn Korndewal, Helen Laubenstein, Delia Sanchez Trancon contributed at various stages. Ines Reale provided administrative support. The work was conducted under the overall supervision of Walid Oueslati, Acting Head of the Environment, Transitions and Resilience Division of the OECD’s Environment Directorate. The OECD benefitted from active cooperation with and substantial inputs from Acteon, led by Pierre Strosser, with Gloria De Paoli.
The European Commission provided constructive guidance throughout the two-year process. Bettina Doeser is acknowledged for her leadership. Paulus Arnoldus challenged the status quo and helped push the boundaries of economic analyses. He is gratefully acknowledged.
The project and this document were produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union.