The General Secretariat of the Council has called on delegations to submit written comments on the compromise text for Articles 2 and 3 and related Annexes of the Priority Substances in Water file, according to a request for contribution dated 13 July 2026. Comments must be sent to the Presidency, Commission, and Council Secretariat by 24 May 2024, ahead of the next Working Party on the Environment (WPE) meeting scheduled for 31 May 2024.
The call follows the WPE meeting on 22 May 2024, where the file was discussed. The Presidency plans to present a complete revised compromise text at the 31 May meeting, incorporating delegations' input. The file aims to update the list of priority substances in surface and groundwater under the Water Framework Directive, affecting water quality standards and monitoring obligations for EU member states.
Stakeholders impacted include national environmental authorities, which will face new compliance requirements for monitoring and reducing priority substances; water utilities and industrial sectors discharging pollutants, which may incur additional treatment costs; and environmental NGOs, which have pushed for stricter standards. The compromise text seeks to balance environmental protection with implementation feasibility, with trade-offs between the speed of regulatory tightening and the administrative burden on member states.
Following the WPE meeting on 31 May, the file will proceed to the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) and then to the Council for adoption, before being transmitted to the European Parliament for its input.