Implementing decision 2018/840 - Watch list of substances for Union-wide monitoring in the field of water policy pursuant to Directive 2008/105/EC repealing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/495 (notified under document C(2018) 3362) - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 141/9

Article 8b(1) of Directive 2008/105/EC provides for the establishment of a watch list of substances for which Union-wide monitoring data are to be gathered for the purpose of supporting future prioritisation exercises in accordance with Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2). The first such watch list was to include an indication of the monitoring matrices and possible methods of analysis not entailing excessive costs for each substance.

Article 8b of Directive 2008/105/EC specifies, inter alia, the conditions and modalities for the monitoring of the substances included in the watch list and for the reporting of the monitoring results by the Member States.

The substances in the watch list are to be selected from amongst those for which the information available indicates that they may pose a significant risk, at Union level, to or via the aquatic environment, but for which monitoring data are insufficient to come to a conclusion on the actual risk posed. Highly toxic substances, used in many Member States and discharged to the aquatic environment but not or rarely monitored, should be considered for inclusion in the watch list. That selection process should take into account information as itemised in points (a) to (e) of Article 8b(1) of Directive 2008/105/EC, giving particular consideration to emerging pollutants.

The monitoring of the substances in the watch list should generate high-quality data on their concentrations in the aquatic environment, fit for the purpose of supporting, in a separate review exercise according to Article 16(4) of Directive 2000/60/EC, the risk assessments that underpin the identification of priority substances. In that review, substances found to pose a significant risk should be considered for inclusion in the priority substances list. An environmental quality standard would then also be set, which Member States would have to meet. The proposal of a substance for inclusion in the priority substances list would be subject to an impact assessment.

The first watch list of substances was set out in Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/495 (3) and contained ten substances or groups of substances, together with an indication of the monitoring matrix, possible analytical methods not entailing excessive costs, and maximum acceptable method detection limits.

According to Article 8b(2) of Directive 2008/105/EC, the Commission is to update the watch list every two years. When updating the list, the Commission is to remove any substance for which a risk-based assessment as referred to in Article 16(2) of Directive 2000/60/EC can be concluded without additional monitoring data.

During 2017, the Commission analysed the data from the first year of monitoring of the substances in the first watch list. On the basis of that...