Joint NGO analysis of the European Commission’s proposal for revised list of priority substances for surface and groundwater

On 26 October 2022, the European Commission presented its proposal for a Directive amending the Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC), the Groundwater Directive (GWD 2006/118/EC) and the Environmental Quality Standards Directive (EQSD 2008/105/EC). The initiative updates the lists of priority substances for surface and groundwater and their associated legal threshold values that are used to assess chemical status under the WFD. It also concerns monitoring and reporting of concentrations and measures taken to mitigate pollution.

EEB, Surfrider, PAN Europe, Health Care Without Harm Europe call on the European Parliament and the Council to adopt the proposed Directive and to strengthen it where needed in line with the main points in this assessment.