On Tuesday 12 September, the European Parliament voted in favour of regularly updating the list of new dangerous pollutants to be more strictly controlled in order to better protect the EU’s freshwater and groundwater from toxic pollution, in the interests of the environment and public health (see EUROPE 13051/2).
In October 2022, the European Commission proposed to carry out this regular update and to amend water legislation accordingly - the Framework Directive and two ‘daughter’ directives, in line with the EU’s ambition of ‘Zero Toxic Pollution’ by 2050.
In adopting the amended report by Milan Brglez (S&D, Slovenian) by 495 votes to 12 with 124 abstentions, the European Parliament has endorsed the position of its Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), which supports and strengthens the original legislative proposal (see EUROPE 13211/27).
In so doing, it has set out its position for starting negotiations with the Council of the EU, when the latter is ready.
In particular, Parliament wants a subset of specific PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances) and the total PFAS (a parameter comprising all PFASs with a maximum concentration) to be added to the list of pollutants, as these ‘eternal pollutants’ have been detected in over 70% of groundwater measurement points in the EU.
The report also calls for stricter standards for glyphosate, bisphenol (total bisphenol), atrazine, pharmaceuticals and irrelevant metabolites of pesticides.
Several other substances, including micro-plastics and antibiotic-resistant micro-organisms, should also be added to these lists as soon as appropriate monitoring methods have been identified, according to Parliament.
The Council of the EU has not yet given its opinion on this legislative proposal from the European Green Deal. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)