Surface water

Overview

Healthy surface water ecosystems are important for many reasons, not only for nature but also to ensure that citizens, agriculture and industry can access clean water. The health of surface waters is influenced by several factors including hydromorphology and pollution. The main legislation on inland, transitional and coastal surface waters focuses on achieving good ecological status and good chemical status.

Background

Since 2000, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has been the main legal instrument for water protection in Europe. Together with the Environmental Quality Standards Directive and the Groundwater Directive, it applies to inland, transitional and coastal surface waters, as well as groundwaters. It ensures an integrated approach to water management, respecting the integrity of entire ecosystems, including by regulating individual pollutants and setting corresponding regulatory standards.

Objectives

The EU aims to ensure that all surface water bodies achieve good ecological and good chemical status. For the former, surface waters must respect certain minimum levels of so-called quality elements, including biological, hydromorphological, physico-chemical (including nutrients) and general quality elements. For good chemical status, surface waters must meet minimum quality standards for selected pollutants, and must reduce or phase out the emissions of those substances to water.

In the EU

100 000 surface water bodies, including streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and reservoirs

Only 40% of surfaces waters are in good status

Over 1/3 of river basin districts are cross-border

Law

Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD)

The provisions outlined in the WFD are pivotal.

Annex V to the WFD details the quality elements that need to be taken into account in assessing ecological status. These elements include pollutants of national or local concern, for which Member States must set and meet environmental quality standards. The assessment of ecological status under the WFD is supported by the Intercalibration Decision.

The WFD covers surface water pollutants of greatest (EU-wide) concern by identifying them as so-called priority substances, including a subset of priority hazardous substances. They are listed in Annex X to the Directive, and environmental standards are set for them in the EQSD.

Environmental Quality Standards Directive (EQSD)

Member States must ensure that Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) set for the priority substances in the Directive are met in order to achieve good chemical status.

Surface water watch list

A Watch List mechanism was established in 2013 to improve the available information on identifying the substances of greatest concern. Member States have to monitor the substances on the list at least once per year for up to four years. The watch list was established in 2015 and updated in 2018, 2020, 2022 and again in 2025.

Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment

In 2019, the Commission adopted a strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment, a legal requirement of the Environmental Quality Standards Directive. It aims to counteract the negative effects of pharmaceuticals on the environment. It covers all phases of the lifecycle of pharmaceuticals, from design and production to use and disposal. It identifies over 30 actions in six areas, including

raising awareness and promoting prudent use
improving training and environmental risk assessment
gathering monitoring data
promoting greener pharmaceutical design and manufacturing
reducing emissions from manufacturing
reducing waste and improve wastewater treatment

Good progress has been made in implementing these actions, as detailed in this 2020 overview. Some are already well advanced or even completed. Several Green Deal Initiatives and the Pharmaceutical Strategy will also help to achieve the objectives. The overview looks at the implementation as a whole and outlines how each action has been implemented so far, and any planned follow‑up.

Consult the background documents and studies

Review

The December 2019 Fitness Check concluded that the water legislation is broadly fit for purpose, with room for improvement in relation inter alia to chemical pollution, hence the 2022 proposal.

Updated pollutants watchlist

On 11 May, the EU directive revising the lists of pollutants in surface and groundwaters entered into force, ensuring that the lists are aligned with the latest scientific advice and that new substances will be monitored more closely and subject to stricter controls. The list of water pollutants includes certain PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ (such as TFA), pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

For the first time, the rules also address microplastics, indicators of antimicrobial resistance, and sensitive groundwater ecosystems.

The implementation of the new rules will make the EU more water-resilient, contributing to its zero-pollution and water-resilience ambitions. At the same time, the revision allows more flexible application of the principle of non-deterioration of water status to facilitate important economic activities, while ensuring safeguards for environmental and health protections.

Find out more in the press release.

Contact

For questions about EU environmental policy, please contact Europe Direct.