Brussels, 10/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - In its decision on the new draft “Bathing Water Quality” directive, presented by the Commission in October 2002, the European Parliament provided the green light on Tuesday in Strasbourg, in second reading, to an update of Community legislation that is more ambitious than that sought by Member States (EUROPE 8736). Nonetheless, the plenary agreed to water it down to avoid conciliation procedures which could have let in a more radical position followed by the environmental parliamentary committee based on the report of Jules Maaten (ALDE, NL).
As well as modernisation of the almost thirty year old directive (Directive 76/160/ECC), the stake at play in this case was to further improve water quality and prevent health risks to bathers by concentrating on two more pertinent criteria (Escherichia coli infection) and modernising EU bathing water management by facilitating the task of Member States experiencing the most difficulty in implementing current legislation.
In light of new scientific discoveries and health requirements, the rapporteur opened the debate by pointing out that, “the old directive is no longer good enough…If we stick to standards currently in force, one in eight bathers in the Union still risks his health”.
In the sprit of compromise, the plenary session admitted inclusion, for an eight year transition period of an additional fresh water category, “satisfactory quality”, that the Council calls for in completion of the “excellent quality and “good quality” categories. MEPs, however, defined stricter standards than intended by the Council for this new category.
Another concession made by the Council involving application of less strict standards for fresh water, which the plenary accepted, was the distinction between coastal and interior waters. On the other hand, in the outline of what approach national or regional authorities should follow in emergencies, MEPs rejected the Council's wishes.
Amendments by certain MEPs (notably the Greens/ALE), which called for the application of new standards for both bathing water and water used for pastimes (surfing, windsurfing) were rejected.
A petition to include zones were these pastimes were practiced received 10,000 signatures (an argument brandished by French Green Marie Anne Isler Béguin during the debate) but did not convince the plenary to extend the scope of the new directive to waters used for the above-mentioned leisure activities.
In keeping with the European Commission's proposal, information on water quality of bathing areas and inspection data, the management plan and all relevant information will be regularly made available to the public to inform it in real time (as opposed to the current situation where information published by the European Commission goes back to the previous bathing season). Parliament, however, explained that public information on bathing water would be done by “simplified and standardised identification sheet” (it is up to the Commission to define this sheet over the next two years) through the internet.
Parliament is also calling for an initial classification of EU bathing waters according to these new rules to be established “by the end of the 2011 bathing season at the latest”.
Between those defending “the Council's realistic approach”, like Gyula Hegy (PES, Hungary) and its detractors, like Dorette Corbey (PES, Netherlands), who denounced the “cynical game” the Council was playing and which was tying to avoid standards when health was the issue, Parliament opted for the middle road and raised water quality that partially took into account the Council's concerns. Frédérique Ries (ALDE, Belgium).
With the concern, Stavros Dimas, Commissioner for the Environment, said that the vote supported the introduction of a “satisfactory water quality” category but that he thought that Parliament's demand for water was excessive and could in the future, which this qualification could display in the future. The Council will decide whether to agree to Parliament's amendments. In the second hypothesis, a conciliation procedure will be unavoidable.