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Groundwater
Background on the development of the new directive on protection
of groundwater against pollution and deterioration
The Commission proposal
On 19 September 2003 the European Commission adopted a proposal
for a new directive to protect groundwater from pollution.
Based on an EU-wide approach the proposed directive introduced
for the first time quality objectives which oblige Member
States to monitor and assess groundwater quality on the basis
of common criteria and identify and reverse trends in groundwater
pollution.
By adopting the proposal the Commission fulfilled an obligation
under Article 17 of the Water
Framework Directive which requires it to establish technical
specifications to complement the overall groundwater regulatory
regime in place. These specifications cover a number of key
elements, among which characterisation, analyses of pressures
and impacts, monitoring, and programme of measures. All of
these elements are linked to the development and implementation
of River Basin Management plans whose aim is to achieve "good
environmental status" by 2015. The Water Framework Directive
specifically called for a daughter directive to set out detailed
provisions on chemical status and other measures to identify
and reverse pollution trends. |