A well-functioning water sector is increasingly becoming a matter of concern in ensuring security and preparedness in the EU. EurEau calls on the Commission to mainstream this aspect in all relevant horizontal policies. This should also apply to the future revision of the INSPIRE Directive, which, in its current Article 13, allows for the exclusion of utility facilities, such as sewage and water supply, from its scope.

A well-functioning water sector is increasingly becoming a matter of concern in ensuring security and preparedness in the EU. EurEau calls on the Commission to mainstream this aspect in all relevant horizontal policies. This should also apply to the future revision of the INSPIRE Directive, which, in its current Article 13, allows for the exclusion of utility facilities, such as sewage and water supply, from its scope.

Given the escalating pressures on water resources, aggravated by the combined impacts of climate change, pollution, rising demand, and security threats and while acknowledging the expanding financial gap the water sector needs to bridge only to ensure compliance with the (updated) sectoral EU acquis, funding for water needs to be commensurately ramped up and appropriately tailored under the next MFF in order to ensure the Member States are able to effectively absorb it.

Water is increasingly becoming a matter of security and preparedness in the EU. The water-security nexus should be understood in terms of the need to ensure the water supply and sanitation infrastructure is protected against large-scale crises. Water resilience in this regard is paramount for ensuring societal and economic stability, as stressed in the Niinistö report. The next MFF should ensure adequate financial support for implementing the measures put in place at Member States level, in line with national priorities, intended for tackling potential civil or military emergencies undermining the water sector.

The scope of the evaluation is to assess whether the objectives of the directives have been achieved with regard to ensuring the efficient use of public funds, high level of competition in the single market, and transparency and integrity of public spending. The directives were also expected to contribute to making Europe a more green, social and innovative economy, increase SMEs’ participation in procurement procedures, reduce the administrative burden related to procurement procedures, simplify them and make more flexible. Efficient use of public funds for provision of goods and services in the water sector is key for the EurEau members to be able to ensure supply of drinking water and collection and treatment of wastewater in accordance with the highest possible standards.

This consultation relates to textile and related products, meaning leather products, apparel and clothing accessories (even if made of other materials, such as leather or fur) as well as textile, leather and/or fur interior/household products, except for footwear products (which are governed by Directive 94/11/EC and
the review of which is not currently planned).

The polluter pays principle (PPP) should be implemented in EU environmental policies, as set out in Article 191(2) of the Consolidated Version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union EUR-Lex - 12008E191 - EN (europa.eu).

Additional information is here

Numerous point sources (production sites, landfill sites, fire drill sites etc.) and diffuse pollution (households, air deposition) have led to a quasi-ubiquitous presence of PFASs in surface water and groundwater bodies. We may also find them in drinking water above European or national regulatory thresholds applicable now or in the near future.

Critical raw materials are key to the green and digital transitions as well as to other EU priorities such as EU resilience and security. They are essential components of green technologies, are used in digital applications, and are crucial to the defence, aerospace and health industries. To secure a sustainable supply, the European Commission has had in place a dedicated strategy since 2008 and put forward an action plan in the 2020 Communication on Critical Raw Materials. Although the action plan is on track, the current context of growing global demand and increasing geopolitical instability creates the need for increased efforts.

EurEau welcomes this Guidance document on the impact of water treatment processes on residues of active substances, enshrining the European Commission's efforts to protect human health and the environment. The document outlines which environmental water residues have to be assessed, the identification of water treatment transformation products that are formed, and how to complete a risk assessment that includes the consumption of treated drinking water.

EurEau welcomes the introduction of new hazard classes in the CLP regulation (ED, PBT, vPvB, PMT and vPvM). The criteria for Mobility does not follow the UBA scientific opinion and we ask for more ambitious criteria on Mobility.

The CLP Regulation ensures that the hazards presented by chemicals are clearly communicated to workers and consumers in the European Union through classification and labelling of chemicals. 

The purpose of this survey is to collect proposals to adapt the annexes of the Fertilising ProductsThe purpose of this survey is to collect proposals to adapt the annexes of the Fertilising ProductsRegulation (EU) 2019/1009 (‘FPR’) to technical progress. In accordance with Article 42 FPR, the Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts.

You can read our table on the potential future of the CMC pdf here (157 KB) .

Nutrients are chemical compounds that are essential for life. The most common nutrients include nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Nutrients are found in soil, air and water, in agricultural fertilisers, in the food we consume and throw away as well as the sewage we produce. Human activities have significantly altered the natural processes which continuously cycle nitrogen and phosphorous in various (chemical) forms between different compartments of the environment. We consequently observe nutrient pollution that significantly affects public health, climate and the environment and at levels that exceed safe planetary boundaries. Nutrient pollution also has important economic consequences and puts at risk the sustainability of agriculture and fisheries in the EU.

The Environmental Liability Directive (ELD) established a framework of environmental liability based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, to prevent and remedy damage to land, water (surface, ground, transitional, coastal and marine waters), and biodiversity (species and natural habitats protected by the Birds and Habitats Directives).

Making operators financially liable for preventing and remedying environmental damage is intended to induce them to develop practices that minimise the risk that their activities will cause such damage.

In 2016, the European Commission published the first evaluation of the ELD. The Commission is now carrying out the second such evaluation. The evaluation will examine the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, coherence and EU added-value of the ELD.

In the context of the ‘‘European Green Deal”, the European Commission adopted a comprehensive Farm to Fork Strategy[1], which recognises the inextricable links between healthy people, healthy societies and a healthy planet and aims to address comprehensively the challenges of sustainable food systems. 

The current geopolitical situation and the objective to transition to a climate-neutral society by 2050, make it urgent to reuse the renewable and continuous supply of resources and energy which pass through our waste water systems. Waste water contains many valuable resources, most notably nutrients for fertilisers (nitrogen and phosphorus), water and energy. These valuable resources can be recovered and reused, making a significant contribution to the circular economy. 

A robust EU Strategy can put in place legislation that will protect our water resources