water policy

Austria leads pack in 2021 EU bathing water report, Poland lacks data

Austria, Germany, Malta, Greece, Denmark, Croatia and Cyprus can boast of 90% “excellent bathing water quality” as of the EU’s 2021 bathing water report. Overall, 84.8% of bathing sites across the bloc were rated excellent.

Wasted ink on waste water?

Weak rules and poor implementation: this is why the EU is failing to curb pollution from the chemical industry, says Jean-Luc Wietor.

Let’s end the debate: putting international shipping into the ETS is clearly legal

Shipping companies are crying foul over EU plans to regulate the sector’s emissions. But the industry’s claim that new rules would break international law has no legal basis, write Faïg Abbasov and Aoife O'Leary.

Tyre industry pushes back against evidence of plastic pollution

A growing body of scientific research linking tyre wear to microplastic pollution, as well as increasing scrutiny from lawmakers in the European Union, has led the €150 billion-a-year tyre industry to fight back.

Egypt calls for suspension of Nile dam talks

Egypt on Tuesday (4 August) called for a suspension of meetings with Ethiopia on Addis Ababa's massive dam construction project on the Nile.

Sinkevicius: COVID-19 cannot be an excuse to curb EU’s green ambition

Member states cannot use the COVID-crisis as an excuse to weaken the EU's environmentral and health protection efforts, European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius told EURACTIV Italy in an exclusive interview.

More than half of France at risk of summer drought

Ahead of a summer that promises to be particularly dry and hot in Europe, France's ecological transition ministry is mobilising water stakeholders to anticipate shortages and avoid supply disruptions. EURACTIV's partner le Journal de l'environnement reports.

Industry lobby wants EU water protection directive to be diluted

EU environment ministers will debate on Thursday (5 March) whether the EU directive on water protection is still up to date. However, the European industry lobby is trying to influence ministers to change the directive, according to a leaked letter seen by EURACTIV Germany.

Sinkevicius: Dealing with PFAS chemicals in revised tap water rules was a ‘great move’

The inclusion of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into the EU's Drinking Water Directive was a step forward that showed the EU's commitment to address these chemicals, Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius told EURACTIV.

Europe must uphold key EU law protecting freshwater fishes

Europe is no exception to the decline in freshwater biodiversity, due to many threats such as agricultural pollution, or the overwhelming development of hydropower, writes Dr Steven Weiss. Dr Steven Weiss is an associate professor at the Institute of Biology,...

Challenges to water management in the Azores

In the Azores, where annual rainfall patterns are expected to change with climate change, the main concern for agriculture is the proper management of water resources, which were scarce last year.

EU Council follows Commission’s line, trims Baltic fishing quota

EU ministers have clinched a midnight deal on fishing quota limit in the Baltic Sea for 2020, following the Commission's proposal to decrease the total allowable catches for eight of the most commercially important fish stocks in the basin.

Circling round

The European Commission should impose more stringent measures on producers to protect the environment and consumers. Making producers responsible for their products throughout their whole life cycle benefits us all, writes Oliver Loebel.

WHO says microplastics in water not a health risk, more research needed

Plastic pollutant nanoparticles in both tap and bottled water do not pose an apparent health hazard, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report. However, the UN body acknowledges more research and evidence is needed.

Why the ocean should be on the G7 agenda

Surfrider Europe, a French organisation fighting for clean oceans,  is organising an event ahead of the G7 summit in France. The aim is to call for incorporating ocean protection into international negotiations, particularly those concerning climate change. EURACTIV's partner la Tribune reports.

Bad water management makes drought worse, study finds

As Europe is facing a new heatwave this week, drought emergency measures will be back on the table. According to a study EU member states do a lot to worsen the impacts of drought.

Infographic: EU support for water resilience in Central Asia

Download PDF  

Central Asia is facing increasingly severe environmental challenges. The EU is offering help to the region to turn those challenges into opportunities. Enhancing environmental, climate and water resilience is a substantial element of the new EU strategy for Central Asia.

Timmermans: A green candidate in the red corner

Frans Timmermans, the Socialists’ leading candidate, has promised a sustainable Europe if he is given the nod to lead the next European Commission. But how sustainable are the Dutchman’s green credentials?

EU clean water laws under attack from industry lobbyists

Industry lobbies are mounting a push to roll back EU clean water regulations, even though less than half of the continent’s rivers, wetlands and lakes are in a healthy state. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.

Groundwater: Nitrate pollution will continue to be an issue across generations

For years, the EU Commission has warned Germany about illegally high levels of nitrate in groundwater. The European Court of Justice even ruled on the issue in June. Now, the German government is working on a new Fertiliser Regulation. However, the groundwater is expected to remain contaminated for many more years. EURACTIV Germany reports.

No water, no agriculture

The state of Europe’s water ecosystems puts a big question mark over the future availability of freshwater, for people and for all manner of industry, not least for food production and agriculture, writes Jabier Ruiz.

EU should be ambitious on materials in contact with drinking water

All EU citizens have the right to high-quality drinking water, write representatives from drinking water suppliers, consumer NGO and industrial manufacturers of materials in contact with drinking water. Stephen Russell is secretary-general of the European Consumers Association (ANEC), Dr Claudia...

The Sustainable Blue Economy: EU’s actions must match its words

As global leaders met at the world’s first Sustainable Blue Economy conference this week, the EU must face the sobering reality of the state of our ocean and stand by its commitments to sustainably protect and effectively manage Europe’s seas before it’s too late, writes Dr Samantha Burgess.

Healthy rivers and lakes are not ‘nice-to-haves’, they are essential to our existence

Healthy rivers, lakes and wetlands are our life support system, but EU member states are trying to destroy the law that protects them and the window to save them is closing, warns Andreas Baumüller.