EurEau News
Speaking out
Oliver Loebel, EurEau Secretary General, participated in the panel discussion of the European Parliament event entitled ‘Turning the tide — A multi-stakeholder dialogue towards a water resilient Europe’ and focusing on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (14 April).
On 20 April, Oliver addressed the Regulatory Summit Europe 2026 (Brussels) on the topic of PMT substances and REACH.
On 23 April, Oliver was one of the panellists of the MEP Group Water event on ‘Putting the Water Resilience Strategy into Action’.
It was a busy month for Oliver, as he presented at the INCITE conference of the JRC on PFAS remediation strategies on 28 April.
On 29 April, Gari Villa-Landa, EurEau Senior Policy Advisor, was one of the panellists of the event ‘Energy Neutrality under Climate Change’ organised by ESAMUR (Murcia Sanitation Agency) in Cartagena, Spain.
EU news
Water legislation
UWWTD: Associations urge MEPs to oppose delays to recast UWWTD implementation
EurEau, Aqua Publica Europea, CEMR and SGI Europe are calling on MEPs to reject any initiative to reject any initiative to suspend or delay implementation of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), and to support key provisions of the Directive, including the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism.
The letter sent to the MEPs can be found here.
Related letters from us and Copa-Cogeca/iFOAM is here and FIEC is here.
WFD: Adoption of updated standards highlights urgent need for EPR to fund wastewater treatment
On 26 March, the European Parliament endorsed the updated environmental quality standards (EQS) for surface water under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). With this decision, MEPs increase the pressure on urban wastewater treatment plants to introduce quaternary treatment in many areas, as the strict EQS for pharmaceutical substances in surface water cannot otherwise be achieved.
We urge policymakers to maintain EPR in order to ensure policy coherence and uphold the polluter-pays principle in European water policy. Read more.
The EQS update was published as Directive (EU) 2026/805 in the Official Journal on 20 April. You can find the text in all EU languages here.
WFD revision: EurEau warns of cost risks for water users
In our feedback to the European Commission call for evidence, we draw attention to the fact that a revision of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) could increase costs for households and businesses through water bills by shifting depollution costs from mining companies onto water services. You can read our feedback here.
This followed our recommendations on the planned revision and a joint letter to Commissioner Roswall, in which we joined seven other organisations in calling for a thorough economic assessment of the planned WFD revision.
Water and the environment
REACH: Commission shelves revision
Commissioner Roswall announced that the EU’s chemicals law REACH would not be opened for revision. Instead, the Commission intends to update certain annexes through secondary legislation approved by the REACH committee.
We put forward recommendations for the REACH revision. While regretting the missed opportunity, we acknowledge that reopening REACH at this stage might have risked weakening the legislation. We therefore call on the Commission to use the targeted revision to qualify persistent and mobile substances as substances of very high concern.
PFAS restriction: EurEau prepares reaction to final ECHA consultation
Following the approval by the Risk Assessment Committee, this SEAC consultation is the final step in the ECHA work on the universal PFAS restriction. The agency is expected to transmit its official proposal to the European Commission at the very end of this year, with a Commission proposal expected in 2027.
We call on the Commission to present its restriction proposal swiftly and to target both consumer and industrial uses. In particular, the use of fluorinated gases can be drastically reduced with established substitutes widely available. Read more here.
Environmental Omnibus: EurEau calls to safeguard IED, IEPR and SCIP provisions
We support efforts to simplify administrative burdens in environmental legislation, while maintaining sustainability and environmental protection objectives.
In our recommendations on the Environmental Omnibus proposals, we highlight concerns over measures affecting the traceability of chemicals in industry and products, as well as provisions related to water use in factory farming, given their relevance for water resources and public health.
We encourage the co-legislators to reject these elements of the Commission proposal. Read our recommendations here.
Taxonomy Regulation: feedback submitted
The European Commission is reviewing the technical screening criteria (TSC) and the “do no significant harm” (DNSH) criteria under the Taxonomy Regulation. The first revision concerns the TSC and DNSH criteria under the Climate Delegated Act. The Commission opened a feedback period on the proposal, with a deadline of 14 April.
There are some positive changes to the structure, aligning it with the Environmental Delegated Act. However, the technical screening criteria remain unchanged in substance.
Our contribution is here, reiterating the changes requested since 2021.
Non-flushable products: ISO opens final vote on Technical Specification
ISO/TC 224/WG 10 is running the final vote on the draft Technical specification ISO TS 18671 (Test methodologies for assessing the compatibility of wet wipes and moist toilet tissue with wastewater collection and treatment systems, and appropriate labelling) until 25 May 2026.
Together with some of our members, we actively contributed to the work. Wet wipes and other single-use hygienic products can cause pipe and pump blockages and lead to substantial economic costs for sewer and wastewater treatment plant operators.
EurEau members involved in their national standardisation body should contribute to their country’s vote.
Water and agriculture
Fertilisers: Commission organises high-level meeting
In the light of the current energy crisis and its impact on fertiliser markets, the Commission DG’s AGRI, GROW and TAXUD organised a high level stakeholder meeting on 13 April, to discuss strategies to support availability and affordability, strategic autonomy, and circular and low-carbon fertilisers.
EurEau are in favour of a consistent and enabling regulatory framework and reject calls to weaken the Nitrates Directive.
The Commission is expected to release its Fertiliser Action Plan in mid-May.
Other news
ZeroPM webinar
ZeroPM will hold a webinar on 7 May at 14 – 15h CET called “The ZeroPM risk-based prioritization matrix”. The link to register is here Webinar Registration – Zoom.
Events
5 May 2026 – Brussels, Belgium. The Parliament’s Circular Economy Forum 2026. Register.
8-9 June 2026 – Madrid, Spain. Implementation of EU UWWTD Directive art. 20 – workshop on defining EU sewage phosphorus; reuse and recycling rates. ESPP. https://www.phosphorusplatform.eu/WorkshopMadridArt20
17 June 2026 – Brussels. DWD Symposium on drinking water contact materials, co-hosted by EurEau, EDW and European Metals. Register (waiting list)
23-27 August 2026 – World Water Week 2026. Read the thematic scope for 2026.
16-18 September 2026 – Svenskt Vatten hosts the NORDIWA Nordic Drinking Water Conference in Stockholm. You can visit the conference website: NORDIWA: Home.
4-8 October 2026 – IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2026, Glasgow, UK.
18–20 November 2026 – EBC annual benchmarking workshop, Madrid, Spain. www.waterbenchmark.org.