Strasbourg, 25/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - Setting higher standards than the European Commission, the European Parliament wants all surface water in the EU to be cleared of dangerous chemical contamination by 2015. In second reading on the draft directive on the quality of surface water (related to the Water Framework Directive) in Strasbourg on 22 May, the European Parliament backed the strong line adopted by its rapporteur, Anne Laperrouze (ALDE, France).
Concerned about human health and environmental protection, the MEPs voted overwhelmingly (by 672 votes to 13, with 10 abstentions) to considerably beef up the measures proposed by the Commission to clean up salt and sweet water (see EUROPE 9396 and 9328). The MEPs added 27 chemicals to the list of 41 priority substances suggested by the Commission. The new chemicals must be classified as new dangerous substances following expert studies to be carried out by the European Commission in the 12 months following the directive's coming into force. The European Parliament wants the Commission to reassess the list of priority substances every four years.
The Commission brought up the question of co-existence with other legislation on chemical pollution to avoid not going into detail on the methodology to be followed, but the European Parliament wants the Commission to fully assess the coherence and effectiveness of the all existing legislation that may impact on water quality. Rather than giving member states wide a berth when it comes to choosing how to control pollution, the MEPs want the Commission to unveil proposals on techniques to be used by the member states.
The EP is also raising the bar when it comes to ensuring clean water near discharge sources. It will not be possible to ensure these standards are respected in the immediate future, but the MEPs feel that member states should at least reduce the 'transitional overflow zones' to meet quality standards no later than 2018 (the Commission did not indicate any deadlines). The member states will also have to limit the extent of these areas as they meet their obligations to gradually cut pollution by priority substances.
Rather than restricting controls to surface water, as suggested by the Commission, the European Parliament wants biota monitoring to continue (biota are living vegetable or animal organisms like sediment and fish that provide greater information on water quality than water samples) to ensure progress in future technical and scientific work on water quality standards.
The MEPs want water quality rules to be respected by 2025 and also want an end to the discharging of pollutants in surface water to be brought about by the same year. From 2015 onwards the Commission will have to ensure full efforts are made to guarantee this target is met.
The European Parliament introduced some flexibility into the targets. When it is not possible technically to bring surface water quality up to scratch or when this would entail disproportionate social or economic costs, the most financially profitable and environmentally acceptable strategy must be sought. (an)