Brussels, 12/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - By publishing a Communication to the Parliament and Council entitled "Elaborating a new bathing water policy", the European Commission has just begun the revision process of Directive 71/160/EEC "Quality of bathing water", which is twenty five years old. This Communication take-up the dropped content and the implications of such a revision. It will be followed, at a future stage, by concrete proposals to adapt the text to scientific and technological progress, by rationalising the provisions, strengthening its requirements and attaching to these rigorous aims a implementation timetable. The reduction in the number of parameters to be controlled, the introduction of new tools and safer parameters and the improvements of public information are the main aims followed by the Commission. The reactions to its Communication, raised by all the interested parties, will feed its thought process.
The Commission Communication is available on the Internet at the following address: http: //europa.eu.int/water/water-bathing/index.en.htm.