MEP Piotr Müller (ECR) has asked the European Commission to reassess the costs and consequences of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive's quaternary treatment and extended producer responsibility (EPR) provisions, warning of risks to medicine availability, business competitiveness, and consumer prices.
In a written parliamentary question dated 25 June 2026, Müller cites a Parliament resolution from June 2026 that flagged concerns over the directive's impact on the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors. He asks the Commission whether it plans to conduct a new impact assessment verifying the costs of quaternary treatment and the EPR scheme's effects on those industries. Müller also requests up-to-date data on the actual contribution of pharma and cosmetics to micropollutant releases, questioning whether that data justifies placing the brunt of costs on those sectors. Finally, he asks what steps the Commission will take to ensure that environmental objectives do not lead to higher prices, reduced EU production, or diminished availability of medicinal and cosmetic products.
The question reflects a tension between environmental goals and industrial competitiveness, with potential implications for EU producers, consumers, and patients. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal its policy direction on balancing these priorities.