River Basin Districts and Competent Authorities

Warning

The definitions are being reviewed.

Last update: 2026-06-25

Descriptive dataset

See additional information in the data model review documentation:

• Descriptive dataset - 4th cycle

CompetentAuthority table

Table 79 CompetentAuthority

Attribute	Type	M	Definition
euCACode	wiseIdentifier	[1]	Unique identifier for the Competent Authority.
competentAuthorityName	string100	[1]	Official name of the Competent Authority in English. Only Latin characters are allowed.
competentAuthorityNameNL	string100	[1]	Official name of the Competent Authority in the Member State’s national language.
competentAuthorityNameNLLanguage	Language	[1]	Language used for reporting the competentAuthorityNameNL value.
acronym	string100	[0..1]	Acronym for the Competent Authority (if it exists).
street	string100	[1]	Street name where the Competent Authority is located. Only Latin characters are allowed.
city	string100	[1]	City where the Competent Authority is located. Only Latin characters are allowed.
country	string100	[1]	Country where the Competent Authority is located in English. Only Latin characters are allowed.
postCode	string50	[1]	Postcode address of the Competent Authority. Only Latin characters are allowed.
url	URL	[1]	Website address of the Competent Authority.

RiverBasinDistrictCompetentAuthority table

Table 80 RiverBasinDistrictCompetentAuthority

Attribute	Type	M	Definition
euRBDCode	wiseIdentifier	[1]	Unique identifier for the River Basin District.
euCACode	wiseIdentifier	[1]	Unique identifier for the Competent Authority.
roleCode	Role	[1..n]	Roles undertaken by the Competent Authority in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. A competent authority is defined as being the authority with the responsibility for either the implementation of the different stages of the Water Framework Directive or for reporting to the European Commission. If more than one role is reported, values need to be separated by a semicolon followed by a whitespace. e.g., ‘value1; value2; value3’.

Spatial dataset

See additional information in the data model review documentation:

• Spatial dataset - 4th cycle

RiverBasinDistrict spatial table

Table 81 RiverBasinDistrict spatial data

Attribute	Type	M	Definition [1]
geometry_polygon	MultiPolygon	[1]	The geometry representing the spatial extent of the spatial object.
inspireIdLocalId	string254	[1]	A local identifier, assigned by the data provider. The local identifier is unique within the namespace, that is, no other spatial object carries the same unique identifier. It is the responsibility of the data provider to guarantee uniqueness of the local identifier within the namespace. WISE: It is recommended that Data Providers reporting under WFD use a localId value identical to the thematicIdIdentifier value.
inspireIdNamespace	string254	[1]	Namespace uniquely identifying the data source of the spatial object. WISE: For Data Providers in countries not implementing the INSPIRE Directive, the country code can be used as placeholder.
inspireIdVersionId	string25	[0..1]	The identifier of the particular version of the spatial object, with a maximum length of 25 characters. The maximum length has been selected to allow for time stamps based on ISO 8601, for example, ‘2007-02-12T12:12:12+05:30’ as the version identifier.
thematicIdIdentifier	wiseIdentifier	[1]	Unique identifier used to identify the spatial object within the specified identification scheme. WISE: Unique European identifier of the river basin district.
thematicIdIdentifierScheme	IdentifierScheme	[1]	Identifier defining the scheme used to assign the identifier. WISE: Data Providers reporting under WFD must use the value 'euRBDCode'. Other Data Providers must use the value 'eionetRBDCode'.
beginLifespanVersion	date	[0..1]	Date at which this version of the spatial object was inserted or changed in the spatial data set. The beginLifespanVersion value must be provided if the endLifespanVersion value is provided.
endLifespanVersion	date	[0..1]	Date at which this version of the spatial object was superseded or retired in the spatial data set. WISE: The endLifespanVersion value is only requested for objects that have been retired (without any replacement).
predecessorsIdentifier	wiseIdentifier	[0..n]	In a genealogy, the object(s) replaced by the current object. [2]. WISE: The predecessorsIdentifier value is a comma-separated list with the thematicIdIdentifier value of the existing object(s) that were replaced. The value must be reported if, and only if, the object replaces one or more objects that were previously reported. Data Providers should report a comma-separated list with the thematicIdIdentifier of the object(s) that have been replaced. This attribute does not apply to the case where a newer version of the same object is being reported. In other others, an object never replaces itself. The number of predecessors depends on the wiseEvolutionType value. The objects reported as predecessors must exist in the WISE register.
predecessorsIdentifierScheme	IdentifierScheme	[0..1]	Identifier defining the scheme used to assign the identifier value(s) in the predecessorsIdentifier value. WISE: The value is mandatory if, and only if, one or more predecessors are reported. All predecessors must belong to the same identifier scheme. The value must be reported if, and only if, the predecessorsIdentifier is reported. The predecessorsIdentifierScheme value is identical to the thematicIdIdentifierScheme. In other words, the object being reported can only replace another object in the same identifier scheme.
successorsIdentifier	wiseIdentifier	[0..n]	In a genealogy, the newly active object(s) that replaces (replace) the current object. [2] WISE: The successorsIdentifier value is a comma-separated list with the thematicIdIdentifier of the object(s) that replace the current object. This attribute is NOT reported in the 4th cycle spatial datasets. It will be derived by the EEA and populated in the European datasets for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd cycle of reporting of the WFD River Basin Management Plans, for the objects that have being replaced in subsequent reporting cycles.
successorsIdentifierScheme	IdentifierScheme	[0..1]	Identifier defining the scheme used to assign the identifier value(s) in the successorsIdentifier attribute. The attribute is mandatory, if and only if one or more successors exist.
wiseEvolutionType	WiseEvolutionType	[1]	Type of event that produced or modified the version of the object being reported (for example ‘noChange’, ‘creation’, ‘deletion’, ‘aggregation’). [2] WISE: The wiseEvolutionType value determines the acceptable number of identifiers in the predecessorsIdentifier attribute. [3]
nameTextInternational	string254	[1]	Name, in English. English exonym, or understandable English version of the name of the geographical feature or spatial object. [4]. WISE: For this attribute, the language code is ‘eng’ (by definition) and is not reported. If an English version does not exist, then provide a transliteration of the national name to the ISO basic Latin alphabet (which uses the same 26 letters that comprise the English alphabet).
nameText	string254	[1]	Name, in the national language. National language endonym, or national language version of the name of the geographical feature or spatial object. [4]
nameLanguage	Language	[1]	Language code of the language used in the nameText value. [4] Use the ISO 639-2/B code of the national language used for the object’s geographical name. [5]
designationPeriodBegin	date	[1]	Beginning of period defining when the management, restriction or regulation zone was legally designated or became effective in the real world. [6]
designationPeriodEnd	date	[0..1]	End of the period defining when the management, restriction or regulation zone was legally designated or became effective in the real world. [6] WISE: Data Providers are requested to report this information if and only if the object has wiseEvolutionType = 'deletion'.
zoneType	ZoneType	[1]	High-level classification defining the type of Management, Restriction or Regulation Zone. [6] WISE: Report zoneType = 'riverBsinDistrict'.
specialisedZoneType	SpecialisedZoneType	[1]	WISE: Valid options are ‘internationalRiverBasinDistrict’ or ‘nationalRiverBasinDistrict’
legalBasisName	string254	[0..1]	Legislative instrument defining the management, restriction or regulation zone.
legalBasisLink	URL	[0..1]	Link to an online authoritative version of the document.
legalBasisLevel	LegislationLevelValue	[0..1]	The level at which the legislative instrument is adopted.
link	URL	[0..1]	WISE: Hyperlink to where additional information about the object is available in the internet. Report only if a stable and resolvable URL can be provided to the specific object being reported, for example a public API endpoint. Do not provide generic URLs to institutional internet domains, sites or webpages.

Documents dataset

See additional information in the data model review documentation:

• Documents dataset - 4th cycle

dcMetadata table

Table 82 River basin districts and competent authorities - dcMetadata

Attribute	Type	M	Definition [7]
title	string	[1]	Name given to the dataset.
creatorOrganisationName	string	[1]	Name of the organization doing the reporting.
creatorElectronicMailAddress	Email	[1]	Email address of the point of contact in the organisation responsible for the dataset.
description	string	[0..1]	Description of the dataset.
created	date	[0..1]	Date of creation of the dataset.
language	Language	[1..n]	Code of the dataset’s language/s from the 'Language' codelist.
license	Licence	[1]	A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource.
rights	string	[0..1]	Information about rights held in and over the resource. If necessary, provide the attribution text required by the licence, or other relevant information.
rightsHolder	string	[0..1]	A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. This element can be provided if the rights holder reserved rights (e.g. should to be contacted for specific uses), or if the rights holder is not the organisation responsible for the dataset.
licenseDocument	documentCode	[0..n]	Document(s) about licensing information. It must be reported if license IN ('exactMatch_CC_BY_4_0', 'narrowMatch_CC_BY_4_0').
metadataDocument	documentCode	[0..n]	Document(s) about metadata information. Reported if updateSpatialData = 'yes'.
updateCompetentAuthorities	YesNo	[1]	Choose ‘yes’ if the competent authorities are being updated. Choose ‘no’ if the competent authorities are not being updated.
updateSpatialData	YesNo	[1]	Choose ‘yes’ if the spatial data is being updated. Choose ‘no’ if the spatial data is not being updated.

Document table

Table 83 Document

Attribute	Type	M	Definition
documentCode	wiseIdentifier	[1]	Unique identifier for each document.
documentName	string250	[1]	Name of the document.
hyperlink	URL	[0..1]	URL of the document if available on the internet. Either the hyperlink or the documentFile must be provided.
documentFile	Attachment	[0..1]	Document file as an attachment uploaded in Reportnet. Either the hyperlink or the documentFile must be provided.

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[1]

INSPIRE Maintenance and Implementation Group. Feature catalogue: inspire application schemas. 2025. Accessed: 2026-06-25. URL: https://inspire-mif.github.io/uml-models/approved/fc/.

[2] (1,2,3)

INSPIRE Thematic Working Group Statistical Units. D2.8.III.1 Data Specification on Statistical Units – Technical Guidelines. Technical Guidance Document, European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2014. URL: https://inspire-mif.github.io/technical-guidelines/data/su/dataspecification_su.html.

[3]

European Environment Agency, European Commission, and Directorate-General for Environment. CIS Guidance Document: WFD Reporting Guidance 2022. Annex 5. WISE GIS Guidance. Common Implementation Strategy for the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC), European Commission, 2022. URL: https://circabc.europa.eu/rest/download/2d3bd506-9b43-4b69-9a4e-df4e23efbb55.

[4] (1,2,3)

INSPIRE Thematic Working Group Geographical Names. D2.8.I.3 Data Specification on Geographical Names – Technical Guidelines. Technical Guidance Document, European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2014. URL: https://inspire-mif.github.io/technical-guidelines/data/gn/dataspecification_gn.html.

[5]

Library of Congress, Network Development and MARC Standards Office. Iso 639-2 language code list. Technical Report, Library of Congress, 1998. ISO 639-2:1998, Codes for the representation of names of languages – Part 2: Alpha-3 code. URL: https://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php.

[6] (1,2,3)

INSPIRE Thematic Working Group Area Management. D2.8.III.11 Data Specification on Area Management/Restriction/Regulation Zones and Reporting Units – Technical Guidelines. Technical Guidance Document, European Commission Joint Research Centre, 2014. URL: https://inspire-mif.github.io/technical-guidelines/data/am/dataspecification_am.html.

[7]

Dublin Core Metadata Initiative. DCMI Metadata Terms. Technical Report, Dublin Core Metadata Initiative, 2026. Specification page for Dublin Core metadata terms. URL: https://www.dublincore.org/specifications/dublin-core/dcmi-terms/.