The open letter was addressed to

• Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy,
• Antonio Decaro, Chair of the ENVI Committee in the European Parliament,
• Arkadiusz Pluciński, Minister-Counsellor, Polish Representative to COREPER I (Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States.

The group of signatories consists of water and wastewater service providers, environmental civil society organizations, healthare professionals, social partners, recreational fishing associations, business relying of clean and healthy water as well as local authorities.

They call for:

Immediate introduction of legal regulations for PFAS, pesticides and pharmaceuticals

Water pollution across the EU remains significant, as the EEA’s recent State of the Water report reveals. Less than 30 % of surface water bodies meet good chemical status. To prevent further water pollution, the EU commission proposed an update of the list of priority pollutants, among them are PFAS, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. So far, however, th EU institutions could not manage to pass and implement legal regulations for these pollutants.

Rejection of the proposed exemptions from the Water Framework Directive

The signatories are also concerned about attempts of the EU Council to include new exemptions to Article 4 of the WFD, for tempory deterioation and for allowing deterioation following relocation of water and sediments. Specifically, the Council proposed that ‘short-term negative impacts on water bodies and deterioration of water quality following a shift of water or sediment will no longer be considered as deterioration of water bodies’, as Water News Europe reported on 21 June 2024. These changes to core elements are in contrast to the latest assessment, according to which the WFD fulfils its purpose. According to the signatories, the exemptions were intended to ensure competitiveness. They emphasize that competitiveness also means keeping a stable regulatory framework on water in order to drive investment into the water sector.

Additionally, Member States already have a large margin to provide permits also for projects that lead to deterioration of water status when they are determined to be of overriding public interest.

Member states need clarity

The open letter emphasizes the urgent need to update the EU’s list of priority pollutants in surface and groundwater, which hasn’t been revised since 2013–2014 despite requiring updates every six years. Without prompt action, Member States may be unable to incorporate updated pollutant data into the next River Basin Management Plans (2028–2033), delaying efforts to monitor and address emerging contaminants. The use of advanced pollution monitoring technologies is encouraged, as the societal benefits of updated measures far exceed the costs. Finally, the letter calls for:

• Swift negotiations under the Polish Presidency,

• Mandatory inclusion of new pollutant measures in upcoming River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs), and

• Protection of existing water regulations without adding new exemptions.

It stresses that healthy water systems are essential for public health, environmental sustainability, and Europe’s economic resilience.

Inter alia, the full version of the open letter can be found at Eureau.