Directive 2000/60 - Framework for Community action in the field of water policy - Main contents

official title

 

Legal instrument	Directive
Number legal act	Directive 2000/60
Original proposal	COM(1997)49
CELEX number i	32000L0060

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Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

Official Journal L 327 , 22/12/2000 P. 0001 - 0073

Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 23 October 2000

establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(4), and in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 18 July 2000,

Whereas:

• (1) 

  Water is not a commercial product like any other but, rather, a heritage which must be protected, defended and treated as such.

• (2) 

  The conclusions of the Community Water Policy Ministerial Seminar in Frankfurt in 1988 highlighted the need for Community legislation covering ecological quality. The Council in its resolution of 28 June 1988(5) asked the Commission to submit proposals to improve ecological quality in Community surface waters.

• (3) 

  The declaration of the Ministerial Seminar on groundwater held at The Hague in 1991 recognised the need for action to avoid long-term deterioration of freshwater quality and quantity and called for a programme of actions to be implemented by the year 2000 aiming at sustainable management and protection of freshwater resources. In its resolutions of 25 February 1992(6), and 20 February 1995(7), the Council requested an action programme for groundwater and a revision of Council Directive 80/68/EEC of 17 December 1979 on the protection of groundwater against pollution caused by certain dangerous substances(8), as part of an overall policy on freshwater protection.

• (4) 

  Waters in the Community are under increasing pressure from the continuous growth in demand for sufficient quantities of good quality water for all purposes. On 10 November 1995, the European Environment Agency in its report "Environment in the European Union - 1995" presented an updated state of the environment report, confirming the need for action to protect Community waters in qualitative as well as in quantitative terms.

• (5) 

  On 18 December 1995, the Council adopted conclusions requiring, inter alia, the drawing up of a new framework Directive establishing the basic principles of sustainable water policy in the European Union and inviting the Commission to come forward with a proposal.

• (6) 

  On 21 February 1996 the Commission adopted a communication to the European Parliament and the Council on European Community water policy setting out the principles for a Community water policy.

• (7) 

  On 9 September 1996 the Commission presented a proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on an action programme for integrated protection and management of groundwater(9). In that proposal the Commission pointed to the need to establish procedures for the regulation of abstraction of freshwater and for the monitoring of freshwater quality and quantity.

• (8) 

  On 29 May 1995 the Commission adopted a communication to the European Parliament and the Council on the wise use and conservation of wetlands, which recognised the important functions they perform for the protection of water resources.

• (9) 

  It is necessary to develop an integrated Community policy on water.

• (10) 

  The Council on 25 June 1996, the Committee of the Regions on 19 September 1996, the Economic and Social Committee on 26 September 1996, and the...

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