Involving Citizens as Water Policy Monitors: The European Water Framework Directive Consultation Process in Adour-Garonne

The implementation of public consultation proceedings required by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC), could renew water regimes in Europe along principles of transparency, accountability, and efficiency. We argue that such consultative proceedings could empower citizens as part of water policy making and assessment and could weaken the corporatist and statist forms of management responsible for the deficient implementation of previous environmental laws. The investigation led to two periods of consultation in the Adour-Garonne water catchment area in 2005 and 2008. This investigation allows us to observe the steps in the construction and justification of new features of public consultation and focuses on the effects on water policy of such consultation.