The European Commission will not revise the Water Framework Directive, Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius confirmed to POLITICO at 24.06.2020.

“We need to focus on supporting implementation and enforcement, without changing the directive as it stands,” Sinkevičius said in an emailed statement. The decision comes after the Commission completed a fitness check of the directive in December, which concluded that the legislation was broadly fit for purpose.

Environmental groups welcomed that conclusion, urging the Commission not to reopen the directive but to focus on its implementation. But industry lobby BusinessEurope has continued to push to revamp the legislation. It argued the text lacked flexibility and that a “no deterioration” obligation for the quality of water bodies is posing challenges to the industry and “limiting industrial improvements.”

The directive is the centerpiece of the EU’s water quality legislation, requiring countries to ensure that all waterways are in “good ecological condition” by 2027.

The Commission’s evaluation stated there was room for improvement, notably when it comes to cutting red tape, increasing investments in water management and nature restoration, better integrating the goals of the water legislation in other EU policies, and tackling chemical pollution.

In March, a majority of national environment ministers opposed reopening the directive, although some countries like Sweden and the Netherlands called on the Commission to update the directive to better align it with the objectives of the European Green Deal.

Well done European Commission! Now let's start infringement procedures against countries such as Poland that clearly put coal before water and hand out RDW derogations on demand: https://rozwojtak-odkrywkinie.pl/wiadomosci/item/404-fundacja-rozwoj-tak-odkrywki-nie-skarzy-polska-polityke-wodna-do-komisji-europejskiej

Source:  https://politico.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e26c1a1c392386a968d02fdbc&id=2c2f2b04f9&e=17a2613862