This comprehensive book reviews some of the many scientific and technical challenges faced by EU Member States, stakeholder organisations and scientists while developing the first River Basin Management Plan (2009-2015) under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). It focuses on aspects of multisectoral and multidisciplinary integration and how emerging issues such as action programmes (linked to the environmental objectives of the WFD) and adaptation to climate change will be considered in the future in the context of river basin management planning. In particular, the book highlights research trends that contribute to policy developments through selected examples of projects funded by the European Commission. This publication is timely in that the science-policy interfacing is now identified as a key challenge worldwide with regard to integrated water resource management, and therefore the book will be of great interest to environmental scientists, water managers and all other stakeholders. Readers will also benefit from a better understanding of the needs, benefits and drawbacks of an established transfer mechanism of scientific outputs to policies.