I-Five

Innovative Instruments and Institutions in Implementing the Water Framework Directive

The i-Five project aims to support the implementation of the EUROPEAN WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE (WFD) by promoting the transboundary exchange of experiences, by broadening the range of methods and tools available to water managers, and by helping water managers develop the best applicable approach.

To this end, the project will analyze ongoing WFD implementation processes in which innovative instruments and institutions (in the project referred to as I-3) are put into practice. As these may function and perform differently in different institutional settings, they will be evaluated within their respective national contexts in which they have been applied. Particular attention will be given to the possibility to "transplant" the I-3 under study to other national contexts.

The i-Five project will apply an action research methodolgy to selecet regions in France, Germany and The Netherlands, guided by a jointly developed conceptual framework for analysis. Water managers and other stakeholders will be actively involved in the development and transfer of innovations in WFD implementation.

The project is divided into different the following workpackages: