The European Commission announced on Thursday 25 July that it had sent a letter of formal notice to Germany to comply with a judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union on 21 June 2018 condemning it for polluting its water with nitrates of agricultural origin, in breach of Directive 91/676/EEC (see EUROPE 12047/26).
This 1991 Directive requires Member States to draw up action plans and take measures to reduce water pollution by these nitrates.
In its judgment (C-543/16), the Court ruled that Germany had failed to fulfil its obligations by not revising its action programme, whose measures had proved insufficient with regard to measures for limiting the use of fertilisers, additional measures required for polluted areas, prohibition periods and fertilisation of steep slopes.
More than a year later, Germany has still not fully remedied its shortcomings.
In several regions, more than 30% of groundwater is contaminated with agricultural nitrates exceeding 75 mg/litre, while the maximum level allowed by law is 50 mg/l. In addition, 75% of rivers are also affected by this pollution, Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella told the press.
“We must ensure that Germany complies. Water is a precious commodity, and the health of our citizens is even more precious”, he said.
This is not only an environmental problem: consumers are also harmed as authorities shift the cost of pollution control, estimated at between €580 million and €760 million per year, to consumers and households, the Commissioner said. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)