Members of the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety regret that the objectives of the Water Framework Directive are still not being met. They are keen for the EU to remedy the poor implementation of this text by the Member States, as highlighted by the fitness check of the Directive (see EUROPE 12529/12, 12389/14).
During a debate on 2 September on a draft resolution on this subject, a consensus was reached on the main lines:
- the need for more monitoring and support for implementation, although there are differences over sanctions for non-compliance - sanctions that the right is not prepared to accept, preferring infringement procedures “so that the cost is not passed on to citizens”, argued Christophe Hansen (EPP, Luxembourg);
- the need to reduce the number of derogations which Member States use too systematically for more than half of the European water bodies, whereas these derogations should be the exception;
- the continued application of the “polluter pays” principle and fair pricing, the latter to be accompanied by measures to “protect vulnerable groups of the population”, insisted Sara Cerdas (S&D). Eleonora Evi (non-attached) regretted that access to water was not recognised as a human right in the revision of the Drinking Water Directive;
- the important role of farmers in reducing pollution from pesticides and fertilisers, but the subject is so sensitive that more than 300 amendments have been tabled;
- the need to reduce all chemical pollutants in urban and agricultural waste water, in particular endocrine disrupters and microplastics, stressed Martin Haüsling (Greens/EFA, Germany), while the EPP pointed out that for some pollutants evidence was still lacking;
- the importance for Member States to address the lack of investment;
- consideration of the effects of climate change.
Joanna Kopcińska (ECR, Poland) called for improved indicators for assessing water quality and for comprehensive data so that future measurements reflect the status of all water bodies.
The representative of the European Commission referred to the launching, between September 2020 and January 2021, of some 20 pilot projects to work with national authorities in countries where this was necessary and the ongoing work with the European Environment Agency to simplify assessment criteria.
Oral questions to the Commission and the EU Council on what they intend to do to improve the implementation of the Framework Directive were voted on following the debate.
The draft resolution is expected to be voted on in parliamentary committee at the meeting on 28 and 29 October. The vote in the Parliament's plenary session will take place in November. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)