MEPs on the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) will be asking the European Commission and EU Council what they intend to do to address the glaring gaps in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive.
At the end of their debate on Wednesday 2 September, which centred around a fitness check of this Directive, they approved by an overwhelming majority (72 votes in favour, 2 against) the substance of the oral questions that they will submit to the two institutions (see EUROPE 12551/5).
They will ask, among others things, what specific measures the European Commission intends to take to improve and enforce the implementation of water legislation, ensuring that its objectives are achieved as soon as possible and by 2027 at the latest.
They also want to know how the institution intends to improve the integration of the Directive's objectives, particularly in the agriculture, energy and transport sectors, and to ensure policies are coherent looking at this legislation and the biodiversity strategy, the circular economy, the future 'zero pollution' action plan, and the common agricultural policy.
They are asking: - how the Commission will address the need to monitor a wider range of chemical substances and take into account the combined effects of mixtures; - how it will legislate for substances such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics; - whether it believes that the latest proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 provides sufficient funding for the Framework Directive.
In particular, the EU Council will be asked how it intends to integrate the conclusions of the fitness check into the Directive and what specific measures the Council of the EU and Member States will take to ensure that the environmental objectives are met.
The debate in the plenary session of the European Parliament is scheduled to take place in November. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)