Project

The Dawn of the WFD – Where Do We Stand?

MSc Thesis Vacancy - The EU Water Framework Directive was introduced to achieve ‘good water status’ across European river basins. Two and a half decades later, the big question remains: What has worked? Where do we go from here?
This thesis opportunity delves into the governance dimensions of the WFD, assessing how different policy approaches, governance interventions, and reporting mechanisms have shaped water management across Europe. You will explore how EU member states have reported progress, how governance efforts have been implemented on the ground, and what lessons can be learned for the future.

Your Research Focus

Your work will contribute to answering these critical questions:

Governance Successes & Challenges
– Which interventions have effectively improved ecological and chemical water quality in European river basins?

Measuring Governance
– How can available data be used to assess governance approaches under the WFD?

Reporting & Transparency
– How do EU member states report their WFD progress, and what governance insights can be extracted from these reports?

Beyond Official Reports
– What additional data sources can provide a clearer picture of how governance interventions are actually being implemented?

Key Themes & Indicators to Explore

We are particularly interested in how governance performance is measured across different dimensions, including:

Stakeholder Participation – How inclusive is water governance at different levels?

Policy Integration – How well is water policy linked with agriculture, conservation, and other sectors?

Multi-Scalar Coordination – Are governance structures effectively bridging gaps between EU, national, and local levels?

Knowledge Sharing – What platforms and networks facilitate learning and adaptation?

Economic Instruments – How is the ‘cost recovery principle’ applied in water pricing, subsidies, and partnerships?

Regulatory Tools – Are binding standards and enforcement mechanisms working as intended?

Data & Resources

To support your research, you will have access to a range of reports and datasets, including:

EU-wide Assessments – The EEA’s State of the Water reports and supplementary materials

National & River Basin-Level Reports – Insights from environmental assessment agencies in different member states

WFD Progress Reports – Implementation updates and

Programs of Measures at the EU level

Fitness Checks & Policy Evaluations – Detailed analyses of how the WFD has evolved over time

Your task is to identify and analyze governance-related data in these sources while exploring other potential datasets that can provide further insights.

Why This Project?

  • Your findings will contribute to discussions on improving EU water governance.
  • Gain experience in analyzing real-world policy documents and governance indicators.
  • Connect governance, sustainability, and environmental policy research.
  • Build expertise relevant for NGOs, policy institutions, and research centers.