Aqua Publica Europea, together with EurEau, European Water Association (EWA), European Environmental Bureau, and WWF - European Policy Office, is calling on the European Parliament to act swiftly and authorise the start of trilogue negotiations to protect Europe’s water resources.

Two years ago, the European Commission proposed new quality standards for the EU’s surface and groundwater to address urgent pollutants like glyphosate, pharmaceuticals, and a group of PFAS. These new standards would require EU Member States to monitor these substances and meet updated legal thresholds. The file has already suffered severe delays, but while other files left over from the last mandate have progressed forward, this one has staggered to a halt since the EU elections this summer.

• Urgent action needed: The priority pollutant lists for surface and groundwater are already years overdue—the last updates were in 2013 and 2014. 
• Consequences of inaction: Without initiating trilogue negotiations, Member States will be unable to integrate these updated pollution standards into their 2027-2033 River Basin Management Plans, delaying essential water protections by six more years.

Together with NGOs and other stakeholders, we call on the European Parliament’s lead MEPs to swiftly approve the start of trilogue negotiations!

Read our full joint letter here.