MEPs tighten EU priority water pollutant rules

2324, 22/05/07

The European parliament has voted to tighten proposed EU water quality standards for a series of priority water pollutants. The rules were put forward by the European commission last year in a draft daughter directive under the water framework directive (EED 19/07/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/21411).

French rapporteur Anne Laperrouze said the tighter standards would be workable for industry. But the parliament's position will almost certainly spark a confrontation with EU governments, which want to dilute key aspects of the proposal (EED 04/04/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=22972). The German presidency is trying to broker a political agreement between governments by June (EED 21/12/06 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/22311).

In a first reading vote on Tuesday the parliament backed almost all amendments voted by its environment committee earlier this year (EED 28/03/07 http://www.endseuropedaily.com/articles/index.cfm?action=article&ref=22923). These would almost double in length a list of pollutants earmarked for priority control action, adding 28 substances including pesticide glyphosate and flame retardant TBBPA.

Some of these additional substances should be classified as priority hazardous substances facing a tougher long-term phase-out target, MEPs said. Pollutants trapped in sediments and released as the result of shipping, dredging or natural phenomena would not be regulated.

MEPs backed the concept of designating transitional areas where pollutant concentrations may exceed EU limits, but said these should be phased out by 2018 at the latest.

In other areas, MEPs added limits on the concentration of pollutants in sediments and living organisms, not just in surface water as initially proposed by the commission. Member states would be required to monitor concentrations and report levels in their inventories, but in the parliament's version of the law member states would lose some flexibility over monitoring methods.

Follow-up: European parliament http://www.europarl.eu.int/, tel: +32 2 284 2111, plus press release

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/064-6850-141-05-21-911-20070516IPR06752-21-05-2007-2007-false/default_en.htm and the amendments (22 May)

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/expert/ta/calendar.do?language=EN.

See also reactions from the European greens

http://www.greens-efa.org/cms/pressreleases/dok/183/183760.environment_and_water_policy@en.htm

and liberals

http://www.alde.eu/index.php?id=42&tx_ttnews%5btt_news%5d=8652&cHash=4542866c5d,

and green groups http://www.environmentdaily.com/docs/70522a.doc.

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