New report calls for "toughening up" of proposed rules on improving the quality of surface water
The European Parliament adopted by 672 votes to 13 with 10 abstentions a first-reading report toughening up proposed rules on improving the quality of surface water.
This report drafted by Anne Laperrouze deals specifically with the quality of surface water (rivers, lakes and coastal waters) and is one of a number of daughter directives stemming from the framework water directive of 2000.
The Commission proposed fixing environmental quality standards for 41 pollutants likely to be found in surface water: pesticides, heavy metals and others. These substances may endanger the survival of ecosystems, and via the food chain, human health itself.
Parliament has now added a number of additional substances to the Commission's list or priority substances. It asks the Commission to ascertain whether these additional substances should not also be classified as "priority hazardous substances" and to make a proposal to Parliament for their final classification not later than 12 months after the directive enters into force.
The Commission had highlighted the co-existence of other legal provisions, in order to avoid getting into too much methodological detail. Parliament wants it specifically to carry out a formal assessment of the consistency and effectiveness of all Community legislative acts with a direct or indirect impact on water quality.
In the vicinity of pollution sources, it will not be possible to comply quickly with environmental quality standards. So the proposed directive provides for "transitional areas of exceedance" close to pollution sources and advocates their progressive reduction, without going into further detail. MEPs demand more, saying that Member States must reduce these areas progressively in order to reach the quality standards by 2018 at the latest.
Under the directive, the environmental quality standards are to be met by 2015 and direct discharges of pollutants into surface water must cease by 2025.
