Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy

Overview

The purpose of this Directive is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater, with the ultimate aim of achieving the elimination of priority hazardous substances and contribute to achieving concentrations in the marine environment near background values for naturally occurring substances. This framework will:

• prevent further deterioration and protect and enhance the status of aquatic ecosystems and, with regard to their water needs, terrestrial ecosystems and wetlands directly depending on the aquatic ecosystems;
• promote sustainable water use based on a long-term protection of available water resources;
• aim at enhanced protection and improvement of the aquatic environment, inter alia, through specific measures for the progressive reduction of discharges, emissions and losses of priority substances and the cessation or phasing-out of discharges, emissions and losses of the priority hazardous substances;
• ensure the progressive reduction of pollution of groundwater and prevents its further pollution, and
• contribute to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts.

These measures will therefore contribute towards:

• the provision of the sufficient supply of good quality surface water and groundwater as needed for sustainable, balanced and equitable water use,
• a significant reduction in pollution of groundwater,
• the protection of territorial and marine waters, and
• achieving the objectives of relevant international agreements, including those which aim to prevent and eliminate pollution of the marine environment, by Community action under Article 16(3) to cease or phase out discharges, emissions and losses of priority hazardous substances, with the ultimate aim of achieving concentrations in the marine environment near background values for naturally occurring substances and close to zero for man-made synthetic substances.