The motivation for establishing the River Basin Community Elbe is the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), released in 2000.*

Its main objective is to obtain a good ecological status of all bodies of water like rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters as well as the groundwater in the European Union.

To this end, common and universally applicable standards for the chemical and ecological water quality are being drawn up for the first time by all countries of the European Union. The new water conservation policy also considers the natural realities. Water management in river basin territories – irrespective of administrative borders – is a particular challenge.

River Basin Management across State and international borders is the main instrument of future water management. The implementation of the Water Framework Directive is divided into six stages, ranging from transfer into federal and state legislation to achieving the objectives.

* Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 23, 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy