Water legislation
UWWTD: European Parliament appoints Rapporteur
The European Parliament appointed Nils Torvalds (Finland, Renew) as Rapporteur, as well as Marek Balt (Poland, S&D), Deirdre Clune (Ireland, EPP) and Margrete Auken (Denmark, Greens) as Shadow Rapporteurs.
In related news, we are co-organising together with the EBCD, a meeting of the European Parliament Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, to be held in February (date to be confirmed).
Water and agriculture
Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation: protecting water resources
Member States and the European Parliament are still far from presenting an opinion on this draft Regulation. We continue our work to promote the protection of drinking water resources from pesticide contamination and achieve policy coherence with the Water Framework Directive and the Drinking Water Directive.
On the request of the Council, the Commission will prepare an additional impact assessment addressing in particular risks to food security.
As to the Parliament, the report of the rapporteur is expected for the beginning of February. The deadlines for amendments and the opinion of the AGRI committee are still not set.
You can read our position here.
Water and the environment
Chemicals: general PFAS restriction and CLP and REACH regulations
Five European countries submitted a general PFAS restriction proposal to the ECHA on 13 January. Read more here.
After the Commission published the Delegated Act amending CLP annexes on 20 September, to introduce the new hazard classes, the Commission published its proposal for a Regulation amending CLP on 20 December. More here. We now need solid action such as the extension of the generic approach to risk management to all these new hazard classes.
We signed a joint letter asking the Commission to avoid further delays on the revision of REACH. The Commission has delayed the publication until end of the year.
IED: amendments published
The amendments to the draft revision of the IED tabled by MEPs in the ENVI committee were published in early January.
Many of the proposed amendments support our views, including requirements for industries to inform waste water treatment plant (UWWTP) operators of discharges into urban sewers, consult drinking water and waste water operators before granting an industrial permit and prohibit the discharge of substances not explicitly allowed by the permit.
We trust that the Parliament will vote to maintain a high level of ambition in protecting water resources from pollution and over-use.
The European Parliament’s ENVI committee vote on this file is scheduled for 27 April 2023. The Swedish presidency aims for the Council to adopt its General Approach on the text before July.
Water as an essential service
Critical Raw Material Act: Commission proposal expected in March 2023
The Commission proposal for a Critical Raw Materials Act is expected to be published on 8 March 2023.
EurEau recommends an extension of the scope to all products used by critical entities like water services to ensure continuity of services.
Our reaction to the call for evidence is here and to the public consultation is here.
This initiative aims to reinforce EU monitoring capacities and strengthen both the EU value chain – through the identification of mineral resources and raw materials projects in the EU's strategic interest.
NIS2 and CERD: published
Both the High Common Level of Cybersecurity Across the Union Directive (NIS2) and the Critical Entities Resilience Directive (CERD) were published in December and should be fully implemented by October 2024.
Drinking water and waste water operators are explicitly included in the definition of critical entities. Depending on the risks, the new rules may also be applicable to very small operators.
To the NIS2 Directive here and the CERD here.
