Water policy in the European Union

News Archive

Please see Session 3.3 on Water Efficiency - every drop counts, and Session 3.6 on marine resources
25/03/2011: Speech by Janez Potočnik: European waters Conference "Future of European Waters", Gödöllő (Budapest). Read more (SPEECH/11/215)...
24/03/2011: The European seeks views on how to reduce pressure on Europe's coastal and marine areas through a public consultation
21/03/2011: The European Commission today published the third report on the progress in addressing water scarcity and droughts in Europe
25/11/2010 - New WFD brochure and leaflet published !
24/11/2010 : Floods: Commission takes Poland to court for not transposing the Directive. Read more (IP/10/1568)
24/11/2010: RBMPs: Poland and Romania urged to submit River Basin Management Plans. Read more (IP/10/1570)
24/11/2010: WFD: Denmark received reasoned opinion for non-conformity. Read more (IP/10/1571)
28/10/2010: France taken to Court and Luxembourg given warning over failure to notify flooding legislation. Read more (IP/10/1423)
28/10/2010: Commission urges seven Member States to submit river basin plans. Read more (IP/10/1413)
30/09/2010: Commission requests Austria and the Czech Republic to comply with rules on flood prevention. Read more (IP/10/1264)
30/09/2010: Commission asks Belgium to comply with EU water legislation. Read more (IP/10/1263)
22/09/2010: Brochure on Water Scarcity and Droughts in the European Union
14/07/2010: Poland receives Reasoned opinion for non-Communication of the Floods Directive. Read more (IP/10/940)
24/06/2010: Groundwater : Commission brings BE to Court. Read more (IP/10/830)
24/06/2010: Drinking water: Commission welcomes French compliance with EU rules on nitrate pollution in Brittany. Read more (IP/10/831)
24/06/2010: Floods and WFD : Commission sends second warning. Read more (IP/10/832)
24/06/2010: Waste Water treatment: Commission seeks substantial fines for Belgium; sends fresh warning to Luxembourg. Read more (IP/10/835)
10/06/2010: New Bathing Water Report presented by European Commission and European Environment Agency, with an EU-wide report, country reports for 27 Member States, plus for the first time country reports for Croatia and Switzerland.
Read more
3/06/2010: Commission launched infringements against 12 Member States for failure to report River basin Management Plans. Read more (IP/10/685)
03/06/2010: Commisison takes BE to Court for failure to transpose the Groundwater Directive. Read more (IP/10/686)
01/06/2010: BISE - Biodiversity Information System for Europe - launched
18/05/2010:Water scarcity and droughts – a major concern for many areas in Europe. Read more (IP/10/577)
18/05/2010:Water scarcity and droughts: the Follow-up Report 2009 and accompanying Staff Working Document are now available.
09/03/2010: Groundwater threshold values - Commission report published
23/12/2009: Bathing Water Directive: "Bathing Water Profiles: Best Practice and Guidance" published
22/12/2009: Deadline for establishment of River Basin Management Plans - for more !
9/12/2009: Study on logos informing about bathing water quality published
1/12/2009: Adoption of the CIS work programme for 2010-2012 by Water Directors
30/11/2009: Adoption of the Guidande document N° 24: River basin Management in a Changing Climate
3/8/2009 : 5th implementation report on the the Urban waste water treatment Directive published
1/8/2009 : Commission Directive on chemical analysis and monitoring of water status adopted.
31/7/2009 : Report of the 2nd European Water Conference published
11/6/2009 : Bathing water report 2009 launched !
10/6/2009: Regional Policy : Commission adopts Baltic Sea Action Plan - Press release
5/6/2009 : Carbon Capture and Storage Directive published, amending article 11.3.j of WFD.
2/4/2009: 2nd European Water conference - has started - follow the event on line - Plunge into the debate ! Programme.
1/4/2009: Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action
1/4/2009: Commission adopts second WFD implementation report on monitoring networks
22/3/2009 : Flash Eurobarometer on Water shows large majorities of EU citizens concerned with water quality and quantity problems - read the report
4/2/2009 : New webpage on public participation launched - find out how the Member States are doing !
16/1/2009 : 2nd European Water conference announced !
22/12/2008 / Official deadline for starting consultation on draft River Basin Management Plans - read more !
24/12/2008: Directive 2008/105/EC on Environmental Quality Standards published in Official Journal
19/12/2008: Commission's Report on Water Scarcity and Droughts adopted! - Accompanied by a Commission Staff Working Document. Read more
10/12/2008 : The Commission Decision on intercalibration results 2008/915/EC is published !
17/7/2008: Commission' opinion on second reading EP vote on environmental quality standards (priority substances) adopted !
WISE Newsletter June 2008
25/06/2008: Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC published - entry into force 15/7/2008!
17/06/2008: EP and Council strikes 2nd reading deal on Environmental Quality Standards Directive
02/06/2008: Bathing water - annual report 2007 season launched!
24/04/2008: Announcement of the third stakeholder consultation on 6 May 2008 on the revision of the Drinking Water Directive
10/04/2008 : Flood mapping - Handbook on good practices in Member States published. Find out what is available in your Member States !
22/3/2008 : WISE update : New thematic water maps available!
22/3/2008: World Water Day - Water notes on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive published
10/1/2008: Priority substances: Commissions opinion on the Common position adopted
31/01/2008 : Court rules against Greece on failure to report on WFD
7/12/2007 : Court rules against Italy on failure to report on WFD
2007: WISE Newsletter December 2007 published !
21/12/2007: Priority Substances : Council agrees Common Position
12/12/2007: A consolidated text of the Marine Strategy Directive as agreed by the Council & the Parliament.
11/12/2007: Commission welcomes EP vote on the Marine Strategy Directive
26/11/2007 : Floods Drective enters into force
6/11/2007 : Floods Directive published in the Official Journal !
30/10/2007 : Council adopts conclusions on water Scarcity & Droughts
25/10/2007 : Urban Waste water treatment - further information on Court Judgement against Greece, C-440/06
17/10/2007 : Waste water treatment: Commission gives Luxembourg final warning, seeks clarifications from Belgium
17/10/2007 : Waste Water Treatment : first written warning to the UK for failure to fully abide by a court ruling
6/11/2007 : Floods Directive published in the Official Journal !
30/10/2007 : Council adopts conclusions on water Scarcity & Droughts
25/10/2007 : Urban Waste water treatment - further information on Court Judgement against Greece, C-440/06
17/10/2007 : Waste water treatment: Commission gives Luxembourg final warning, seeks clarifications from Belgium
17/10/2007 : Waste Water Treatment : first written warning to the UK for failure to fully abide by a court ruling
16/10/2007 : Marine Strategy Directive : Council Common Position published in the Official Journal
2/10/2007 : LIFE by theme : Water update
1/10/2007 : Summary of the 2007 Bathing water report online in all Eu languages
19/9/2007 : Urban Waste water treatment - Further information on Court Application against Sweden, C-438/0
17/8/2007 : Urban Waste water treatment - Further information on Court Application against UK, C-390/07
23/07/2007: Council adopts a Common Position on the Marine Strategy Directive
18/07/2007: Commission adopts Communication on Water Scarcity and Droughts
18/7/2007 : Urban Waste water treatment - Further information on Court Application against Finland, C-355/07
28/06/2007: Council reaches political agreement on priority substances Council & Commission press releases
27/06/2007: Italy receives final warning of possible fines on WFD infringement
31/05/2007: Bathing water : Memo on situation in the Member States, 2006 season
22/06/2007 : Guidance Document on reporting under the Drinking Water Directive
08/06/2007 : Stakeholder Consultation on the revision of the Drinking Water Directive
25/05/2007 : The European Commission adopts its opinion on the European Parliaments report in second reading
25/04/2007 : EP adopts compromise package on Floods Directive
22/03/2007 : Water Policy: Member States must do more to achieve good water quality - Read more (IP/07/388)
22/03/2007 : Questions and answers on European water policy - Read more (MEMO/07/113)
22/03/2007 : WFD Implementation Report 2007
22/03/2007 : Ireland: Commission takes action to secure clean drinking water and citizens' rights - Read more (IP/07/391)
22/03/2007 : Water Policy: Member States must do more to achieve good water quality - Read more (IP/07/388)
22/03/2007 : Questions and answers on European water policy - Read more (MEMO/07/113)
21/03/2007 : France: La Commission décide de saisir la Cour avec sursis d'exécution dans l'affaire de la pollution par les nitrates des eaux de surface en Bretagne - Read more (IP/07/381)
15/03/2007 : European Water Conference 2007 - find out how to watch it on the web!
06/02/2007 : Minutes of the first meeting of the Stakeholder Forum on water scarcity and droughts
12/01/2007: Political agreement on the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing A Framework for Community Action in the field of Marine Environmental Policy (Marine Strategy Directive)
12/01/2007: Marine Strategy: Commission welcomes Council action on marine protection - Press release
11/01/2007: WISE Newsletter n°4 out now !
13/12/2006: The Groundwater Directive was finally adopted by the European Parliament on 12/12/2006 ! For more information see press release on the conciliation agreement.
12/12/2006: Environment: Commission takes Finland, Sweden and Portugal to Court over waste water treatment. Press release.
12/12/2006 : Greece receives final written warning on the implementation of the Urban waste water Directive. Press release.
12/12/2006: Commission takes legal action against Spain on the Dangerous Substances Directive, the Nitrates Directive, the Urban waste water treatment Directive, the Shellfish Water Directive and the Drinking Water Directive. Press release.
11/12/2006: New Stakeholder Forum on Water Scarcity and Droughts
6/12/2006 : Commission's Communication on the Common position on the Floods directive adopted.
23/11/2006 : Common Position on the "Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks" adopted by the Council!
18/10/2006: Agreement reached on the new Groundwater Directive
16/8/2006 : Consolidated version of the European Parliament 1st reading report on the floods Directive is now available!
17/7/2006 : Commission adopts proposal on priority substances (IP/06/1007)
14/7/2006 : WISE Newsletter n°3 out now !
30/6/2006 : Portugal receives final written warning on lack of waste water treatment in Estoril (IP/06/902)
29/6/2006 : Commission takes Greece to court for lack of waste water treatment (IP/06/878)
27/6/2006 : Environment Council adopts political agreement on common position on the flood risk management Directive
13/6/2006 : European Parliament adopts first reading opinion on the flood risk management Directive
6/6/2006 : 2005 Bathing water quality report and summaries published
22/5/2006 : Updates of the scoreboard on Water framework Directive implementation
17/5/2006 : European Economic and Social Committee adopts opinion on the flood risk management Directive
4/3/2006 : Publication into force of the new Bathing water quality Directive
18/1/2006 : Commission adopts proposal for a Directive on flood risk management risk management
22/12/2005 : Update on progress on reporting under the Water Framework Directive
15/12/2005 : New pages on environmental objectives and intercalibration in the Water Framework Directive