A very long discussion took place on Friday 15 November at the meeting of the National Ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) on the recast of the Drinking Water Directive (1998 Directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption).
The aim was to prepare the next stage of interinstitutional negotiations on this overhaul, in response to the Right2water Citizens' Initiative.
Although the Finnish Presidency had obtained a mandate for the third trilogue, scheduled for 19 November, the Member States have shown little flexibility (see EUROPE 12357/3).
"The general feeling is not one of optimism about a rapid outcome to the negotiations", one source pointed out on Friday, as the positions of the EU Council and Parliament on parameters, transparency, materials in contact with water, endocrine disrupters, the limit value for lead and its date of application are far apart. Moreover, the issue of access to water has not yet been addressed.
The Presidency will try to find a compromise with the Parliament. "There is still a lot of work to be done. To conclude this year would be quite a feat", according to this source.
The fourth trilogue, scheduled for the evening of 3 December, is expected to last all night. If no agreement is reached, it will be difficult to find a date for the fifth trilogue requested by the Parliament, as national experts will be in Madrid for the COP25 on climate change (2-13 December). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)