The General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union has requested delegations to submit written comments on the compromise text for Articles 1 and related Annexes of the Priority Substances in Water file, following the Working Party on the Environment (WPE) meeting held on 25 April 2024. Comments must be sent to the Presidency and the Commission, with a copy to the Council's Secretariat, by Friday, 3 May 2024, at close of business. The next WPE meeting on this file is scheduled for 22 May 2024, where the Presidency plans to discuss Articles 2 and 3, along with related Annexes. This call for comments marks a procedural step in the ongoing legislative process to update the list of priority substances in EU water policy, which sets environmental quality standards for surface waters. The compromise text aims to reconcile positions among member states on the scope and criteria for identifying priority substances, including potential new additions and revisions to existing standards. Stakeholders, including national authorities and industry representatives, have been following the file closely, as changes could affect compliance costs for water treatment operators and chemical manufacturers. The outcome of the discussions will feed into the broader EU water framework, which balances environmental protection with economic feasibility. No prior coverage of this specific file exists in recent months, making this the first documented step in the current phase of negotiations.
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