The EU executive wants to hear from governments, civil society and industry as yet another report highlights the scale of the EU’s failure to clean up its rivers, lakes and seas.
Despite some progress, Europe’s fresh and marine waters remain heavily polluted, the European Commission has concluded in a package of reports presented today while launching a dialogue with member states aiming to culminate in a wide-arching water strategy.
The EU executive assessed the implementation of three key directives—the Water Framework, Floods, and Marine Strategy Framework Directives—fulfilling a legal requirement that must be met every six years.
Its findings align with a recent report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), which found that only 37% of Europe’s lakes and rivers meet the required ecological standards, while over two-thirds are affected by excessive chemical pollution.
The Commission acknowledged a “compliance gap” as EU regulations have not always been fully transposed into national laws or properly enforced.
For example, nearly 35 years after the adoption of the Nitrates Directive, current measures remain insufficient to meet its objectives despite nitrates being the most frequently reported pollutants and the main cause of poor water quality in 17 member states.
Despite these shortcomings, the EU is opting for a cooperative approach with member states rather than taking immediate legal action.
Carrots and sticks
“To close that gap, I will launch a structured dialogue with every EU country to create the political momentum for meaningful change,” said Commissioner for Environment Jessica Roswall.
The goal of this new process would not be to assign blame, Roswall said, but to initiate a collective effort to address the ongoing water crisis.
“For too long, we have treated water as an endless resource – we need to change that mindset,” Roswall said. Given the immense pressure on water due to climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – the triple planetary crisis – the report urges member states and stakeholders to focus on water circularity and efficiency.
“We can no longer take water for granted. We have work to do together to build a water-resilient Europe by 2050,” Roswall added.
Despite the widespread failures to comply with EU environmental legislation water quality, the EU executive appears reluctant to launch infringement proceedings against EU governments.
“What we want is good implementation – our aim is not to take people to court,” said a senior EU official, adding that discussions with member states occur at both technical and political levels.
The official said that enforcement sometimes requires “a carrot and stick” approach, namely a balance between incentives and legal action, with the Commission resorting to the EU Court of Justice as a last resort.
Next steps
Today’s report and the upcoming discussions will feed into an EU water resilience strategy, intended to address the increasingly severe flooding and droughts seen across Europe in recent years, and which was controversially shelved by the previous Commission.
“The overall goal is clear: the water cycle—from land to sea—is broken, and it needs to be fixed. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to water management,” Roswall said.
ADVERTISEMENTThe commissioner stressed that increased investment is needed, pointing out that 86% of river basin management plans identify funding shortfalls as a major obstacle. “Funding is a key issue that I want to address in the water resilience strategy,” she added.
She also emphasised the need for collaboration across various policy areas, as water management is closely linked to competitiveness, agriculture, food security, ocean health, fisheries, crisis prevention, and climate action.
Key recommendations
Addressing water pollution remains a significant challenge, requiring investment in measures that reduce nutrient pollution from agriculture, urban wastewater, and industrial chemicals.
The Commission noted some progress, such as a nearly 30% reduction in plastic waste on European beaches, but highlighted the need for further action.
ADVERTISEMENTThe EU executive also pointed to an urgent need for better flood management. “Floods are becoming more frequent, more severe, more intense, and more deadly. No part of Europe is spared,” Roswall warned, calling for increased investment in prevention and early warning systems.
To support member states, the Commission has issued recommendations on the efficient use and re-use of water, while urging a wider application of the ‘polluter-pays’ principle, the elimination of harmful environmental subsidies, and fair and affordable pricing mechanisms for water users.
