Together with other maritime associations, EBI is a member of the Navigation Task Group of the Water Framework Directive. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a European Union directive that aims to establish a framework for the protection and improvement of water quality in Europe. The WFD requires member states to manage their water resources in a sustainable manner and ensure that all bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, reach good ecological status.

To achieve this, the WFD sets out a series of measures, including the development of river basin management plans, the establishment of monitoring programs, and the implementation of measures to prevent and reduce pollution. The directive also emphasizes the importance of stakeholder involvement, public information, and awareness-raising to promote the sustainable use of water resources. The WFD is relevant for various sectors, including agriculture, industry, and recreation, as it provides a framework for the sustainable management of water resources that benefits both the environment and society. In the context of the recreational boating sector, the WFD emphasizes the importance of preventing pollution from boating activities and ensuring that water quality is maintained at a level that supports healthy aquatic ecosystems.

The WFD Navigation Task Group has published a survey to understand the extent to which those who manage, operate and use inland water bodies for commercial and recreational navigation are (or are not) engaged in discussions about drought management and water allocation.

The questionnaire can be found here and can be submitted back to EBI for submission to the NAVI Task Group by end of May.