The Romanian Presidency hopes that the Environment Council of 26 June in Luxembourg will be able to reach a political agreement (‘general approach’) on the proposal for a Regulation on reclaimed water destined to be used for agricultural irrigation, provided that this water is safe.
This proposal was submitted a year ago. The European Parliament gave its opinion last February (see EUROPE 12192/2)
Intense activity in the EU Council working group (see EUROPE 12199/4), an intensive discussion by the national ambassadors to the EU on Wednesday 20 June, and an amended compromise, bode well.
“Most countries can support the compromise text”, a European source said on Wednesday.
Initially, the southern countries (Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus, France, Portugal), which already had experience in this field and their own rules which fully satisfied them, feared that they would be made more difficult by European regulation. The northern countries, which do not wish to resort to this practice in the immediate future, were concerned about very strict rules for the protection of public health. Bilateral meetings between the Presidency and the latter and a note from the Commission assuring them that EU legislation on hygiene and food controls will always be applied have triumphed over their fears.
The text provides for an opt-out clause for the northern countries.
Annex I on minimum requirements for recycled water for agricultural irrigation is the most important part of the text.
With regard to the minimum monitoring requirements for recycled water, the minimum frequency for routine controls of Legionella spp. would be reduced to twice a month instead of once a week.
Depending on the results of the risk assessment for human and animal health or the environment, carried out on the basis of the key elements of risk management specified in Annex I, Member States would be allowed to apply more stringent values to the quality requirements for reclaimed water.
Water reclamation plants that are already in operation and meet the reclaimed water quality requirements, as defined in Annex I at the date of entry into force of the regulation, would be exempt from validation monitoring obligations. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)