Review of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

NAT/877 - Review of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

Section: Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT)

Rapporteur: Stoyan Tchoukanov (Civil society organisations - Group III / Bulgaria)

Opinion type: mandatory

Reference: COM(2022) 541 final — 2022/0345 (COD)

Context: 

Urban wastewater is one of the main sources of water pollution if it is not collected and treated according to EU rules. It contains organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorous. These are all removed when properly treated, otherwise they can lead to eutrophication. It also can be contaminated with harmful chemicals, bacteria and viruses which, when untreated and discharged into the environment, affect our health and damages our rivers, lakes and coastal water. The EU’s Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive currently in force is more than 30 years old. Since its adoption in 1991, the quality of European rivers, lakes and seas has dramatically improved. EU countries have set up collecting systems and wastewater treatment plants with the help of EU funding. Yet there is still pollution that needs to be addressed and is not covered by the current rules. To address this, the Commission has proposed an update to the Directive.

Key points:

In the opinion, the EESC:  

• maintains that pollution must always first and foremost be addressed at source, but recognises urban wastewater treatment as an important last filter to protect receiving waters with benefits for the environment, human health and society;
• supports that the water affordability should be a priority for all Member States and strongly supports the proposal for an Extended Producer Responsibility that would require producers to cover the cost of removing micropollutants resulting from their products from wastewater, but exemptions must be strictly limited for it to be efficient
• considers that the Directive should introduce a cap on the occurrence of sewer overflows and reporting to the public should give the full picture of the pollutant load carried by overflows.

The proposal is currently being negotiated between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. The two institutions are expected to reach an agreement by 16 March 2023.

Date of the section meeting: 3 February 2023

Results of the section meeting vote: 53 in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions

Date of adoption at the EESC plenary session: 22-23 February 2023

Results of the plenary session vote: 198 in favour, 1 against, 4 abstentions

Contacts: