OECD and DG ENV: workshops on WFD implementation
The first of a series of workshops targeting the improvement of the WFD implementation was held at the end of February and dealt with financing water investments.
Biodegradable plastics: Commission consultation
This forthcoming EU initiative aims to set a framework for bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics by providing definitions, test methods and assessing applications that lead to genuine environmental benefits. Consumers should be offered clear and trustworthy options.
The Commission has launched a survey on this subject. We are currently consulting members to finalise our feedback before 15 March.
Unintentionally Released Plastics: Commission consults on future regulation
In Q4 2022, the Commission will propose a Regulation on unintentionally released microplastics potentially addressing labelling, standardisation, certification and regulatory measures for the main sources.
Although treated waste water is only a minor pathway to the environment and microplastics removal efficiencies are far above 90%, microplastics in sewage sludge limit the sector’s circular economy options, the Commission is still proposing extra treatment as one of the options.
EurEau will react to the public consultation which will run until 17 May.
Mercury Regulation
The Mercury Regulation is being revised and a legislative proposal is expected for Q4 2022.
The Targeted Stakeholders consultation deadline is 25 February. We submitted an answer.
The Commission launched a public consultation with a deadline of 3 May.
We are in favour of a ban on dental amalgam. We believe that UV lamps used in the disinfection processes should be exempt, however, under the RoHS Directive.
This Regulation focuses on further restricting the remaining uses of mercury in the EU, especially in dental amalgam and certain other mercury-added products, such as light bulbs and measuring devices, and their international trade.
CLP and REACH
We are preparing our response to the public consultation on REACH, with a deadline of 15 April.
EED and RED: time and place
We met with MEPs to highlight our concern over WWTPs being included in the Energy Efficiency Directive. We firmly believe that the energy efficiency of WWTPs should be covered by the UWWTD.
The draft report on the RED from Marcus Pieper is published but the RED does not address water operators directly.
The new Renewable Energy Directive (RED) proposes rules for the EU to achieve a 40% renewables target by 2030 while the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) calls for energy savings for the public sector and energy audits with the goal of reducing GHG emissions by 55% and contributing to other Green Deal initiatives.
Ecodesign Directive: feedback submitted
We submitted feedback on the roadmap on the Ecodesign Directive concerning water pumps. The current directive already helped to improve the energy consumption of pumps currently used by operators a lot. Our goal is to help operators improve their energy consumption and not force them to change their pumps. We will also work to guarantee the energy efficiency of the entire pump system in place over its individual elements.
The Directive provides consistent EU-wide rules for improving the environmental performance of products, such as household appliances, information and communication technologies or engineering. It sets out minimum mandatory requirements for the energy efficiency of these products.
Waste Framework Directive: feedback submitted
We submitted our feedback to the call for evidence on the Waste FD, insisting on the end of waste criteria for waste from WW streams.
The Waste Framework Directive is concerned with measures to protect the environment and human health by preventing or reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste and by reducing overall impacts of resource use and improving the efficiency of such use.
Water as an essential service
Resilience of critical infrastructure: NISD and CERD
The European Parliament and the Council continue direct discussions (Trilogue) to finalise the directives on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union (NIS2) and the Critical entities Resilience (CER) Directive. EurEau contributed with Trilogue recommendations emphasising the need for a risk-based approach and ensuring the proportionality of measures, particularly for small operators.
The draft revised NIS Directive aims to achieve a high level of security of network and information systems across the EU while the CER Directive aims to strengthen the capacity of critical entities to resist and recover from malicious acts or natural disasters. The drinking and waste water sectors will be covered in the scope of the two directives.
