The European Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the Council on the Commission's proposal to update the lists of water pollutants. "This revision," the EU Commission states in a statement, "ensures that the lists of water pollutants are aligned with the latest scientific advice and that new substances are more rigorously monitored and controlled in surface water and groundwater."

Three EU legislative acts will be adapted accordingly: the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, and the Groundwater Directive. The new measures aim to make the EU more water-resilient, with the goal of achieving zero pollution.

New substances with well-documented harmful effects on the environment and human health will be added to the lists of water pollutants. Furthermore, the agreement updates the limits for pollutants already included in the lists. Furthermore, six substances that no longer pose a risk at EU level will be moved to the lists of pollutants of national concern thanks to measures adopted to ban or restrict their use, in line with the latest scientific evidence.

The agreement introduces a new EU-wide quality standard for the sum of 25 PFAS ("permanent chemicals") in surface water, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). The same standard is expected for the sum of the four most harmful PFAS in groundwater. A broader sum of 20 PFAS, in line with the Drinking Water Directive, will also be monitored in groundwater, which is the main source of drinking water in many Member States. The measure also includes pollutants such as: a range of pesticides and pesticide breakdown products; bisphenol A, a plasticizer and component of plastic packaging; mandatory testing for the effect of endocrine disruptors; certain drugs used as painkillers and anti-inflammatories, and certain antibiotics.

In a spirit of simplification, the agreement introduces some short-term derogations from the principle of non-deterioration of water quality and quantity. The agreement also reduces the administrative burden on Member States.

The European Parliament and the Council must now formally adopt the new directive, which will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Member States must then implement its requirements and transpose the amendments to the three relevant directives—the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, and the Groundwater Directive—by 22 December 2027.

"Today's agreement is an important step towards ensuring cleaner water for all Europeans," said Jessika Roswall , Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy. "We are taking a major step forward in limiting water pollution from PFASs, pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals. This is in line with the ambition outlined in the European Water Resilience Strategy to make Europe more water resilient. Clean water is good for people, good for the environment, and good for our economy: an investment that will pay off handsomely."