On 12 June 2026, the European Parliament debated a joint motion for a resolution on the implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and risks to medicine supply security. The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group tabled amendments that challenge the directive's core provisions, calling for a suspension of quaternary treatment obligations and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for pharmaceuticals.
The ECR amendments, tabled by Pietro Fiocchi on behalf of the group, argue that the Commission's impact assessment underestimated costs and overestimated the role of pharmaceuticals in water pollution. They demand a new impact assessment, replacing the original call for an independent study, and a temporary "stop the clock" suspension of key obligations until the assessment is completed. The amendments also introduce new recitals citing higher cost estimates from Germany and Spain and questioning the 92% attribution of micropollutants to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
The joint motion, co-authored by S&D, Renew, Verts/ALE, and The Left, supports the directive's implementation and deadlines. The ECR amendments diverge from this consensus by rejecting the current timeline and cost attribution, while agreeing on the general environmental objective of reducing water pollution. The most contested aspect is the polluter-pays principle applied to the pharmaceutical sector, which the ECR claims will jeopardise patient access to medicines.
Stakeholder impacts The amendments, if adopted, would have significant implications. Pharmaceutical companies would face reduced immediate financial obligations under the EPR scheme, potentially lowering costs but delaying investments in greener production. EU consumers could benefit from maintained medicine affordability and supply security, but may face slower progress in reducing micropollutants in water. National authorities would gain flexibility to delay costly infrastructure upgrades, but risk non-compliance with the directive's deadlines. Environmental NGOs would see a setback in achieving the directive's pollution reduction targets, as the suspension delays implementation of quaternary treatment.
Institutional follow-up The amendments will be voted on in plenary, with the outcome determining whether the resolution maintains its current support for the directive or shifts toward a more cautious approach. The Council and Commission will monitor the Parliament's position ahead of any potential revision of the directive.
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