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IWRM in the Netherlands25of putting the Third National Water Policy intopractice. As far as water quality and ecology areconcerned, the importance of the Third and FourthWater Policy has been eclipsed by the EuropeanWater Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) from2000. This directive requires the EU MemberStates to prepare river basin management plansand reach a “good water status” of all its waters by2015 (Kallis and Butler 2001, Kaika 2003, Kaikaand Page 2003). In case of non-compliance theywill eventually be fined by the European Courtof Justice. A huge amount of attention in TheNetherlands is now going to the implementation ofthe Water Framework Directive.DiscussionWhat do the Dutch experiences tell us aboutIWRM? First of all, they tell us that IWRM iscontext specific. In The Netherlands, the IWRMconcept emerged in a specific water managementcontext, was interpreted and used in this context andin turn exerted some influence on this context. Thesame will be true in other countries. Consequently,IWRM cannot be evaluated independently from itscontext.Secondly, the Dutch experiences show thatIWRM functions ideologically. IWRM emphasizesthe need to consider all aspects and all functionsof water. At the same time, the concept hides thefact that in practice priorities are set and politicalchoices are made. In The Netherlands, IWRM wasdefined in neutral terms (“system,” “co-ordination,”and so forth), but in practice it promoted, at leastinitially, ecology and nature protection and wasused to defend the interests of the water sector.The ideological functioning of IWRM is notprimarily due to intentional, strategic behavior(although strategic behavior does occur). Rather,the case is that if IWRM is to function at all, it has toappeal to influential individuals and organizations.It has to fit in or link up with the world view andthe values of individuals and organizations who caninfluence public opinion, research agendas, policyagendas and implementation. Thus, social andpolitical relations influence whether and how theIWRM concept is used and how it is interpreted.At this point it may be worthwhile to emphasizethat this article has not analyzed IWRM as a specifictype of water management. The problem withthis is that there is no agreement on what type ofwater management IWRM exactly is. Instead, thisarticle has analyzed the functioning of the IWRMconcept in a specific country. It has described how“IWRM” was introduced, used, interpreted and reinterpretedin The Netherlands. This has resultedin a richer picture of water management and therole that concepts, social relations, and power playin it (cf. the notion of symbolic power: Bourdieu1991).The current analysis is quite critical, but onecan draw a positive lesson from it. If it is true thatIWRM is inevitably ideological, the work of IWRMprofessionals cannot be neutral. They always servesomeone or something. Their role is not limitedto delivering technically and scientifically soundinformation. In addition, they have to listen andgive a voice to all stakeholders, including theunderprivileged. Or they can make another choice,but a choice has to be made.Author Bio and Contact InformationERIK MOSTERT has been director of the RBACentre of the Delft University of Technology since1995, where he teaches integrated water resourcesmanagement and water law. His research interestsinclude social learning, international cooperationand water management institutions. He has beeninvolved in several research projects for the EuropeanCommission, the Dutch government, UNEP,UNESCO and several other institutions. Moreover,he has been a member of the European Commission’sand Member States’ drafting group on PublicParticipation and the Water Framework Directive.ReferencesAst, J. A. v. 1999. Trends towards interactive watermanagement: Developments in international riverbasin management. Physics and Chemistry of theEarth (B) 24:597-602.Betlem, I. 1998. Relationships between water policy andenvironmental policy. In F. N. Correia, (ed.) WaterResources Management in Europe: Institutions, Issuesand Dilemmas. 143-179. Balkema, Rotterdam.Bijlsma, A. 1988. Integraal waterbeheer; een nieuweaanpak; symposium 1986, stand van zaken 1988.Nederlands Instituut van Biologen, Utrecht.Biswas, A. K. 2004a. Integrated water resourcesmanagement: A reassessment. Water International29:398-405.JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY WATER RESEARCH & EDUCATIONUCOWR