Annex: Description of the Articles of
the Water Framework Directive
DIRECTIVE 2000/60EC
establishing a framework for Community action
in the field of water policy
Article 1 - Purpose
(a) preventing deterioration and enhancing ecological
water quality
(b) ensuring reduction/prevention of groundwater
pollution
(c) aiming to progressively reduce and even eliminate
pollution especially from priority hazardous substances
(d) promoting sustainable water use
(e) contributing to mitigation of floods & droughts
Article 2 - Definitions
Explanation of terms used
Article 3 - Coordination of administrative
arrangements in river basin districts
Obligation to base implementation of Directive on
River Basin Districts and for each to appoint a competent authority
with responsibility to achieve environmental objectives via a
coordinated programme of measures.
Article 4 - Environmental objectives
Obligations to prevent deterioration of the status
of all bodies of surface water; to achieve 'good' water status
(ecological and chemical for surface water, and volumetric and
chemical for groundwaters); to reduce and/or prevent pollution
especially by priority hazardous substances
Obligation to identify artificial or heavily modified
bodies of water for special consideration, with derogations permitted
if achievement of objectives is infeasible or disproportionately
expensive
Obligation to ensure that all existing water Directives
are fully implemented and enforced
Article 5 - Characteristics of the river basin
district, environmental impact of human activity and economics
of water use
Obligation to undertake an analysis of these three
features for each river basin district
Article 6 - Register of protected areas
Obligations to establish and maintain a register
of all areas within each river basin district, designated by legislation
as requiring special protection
Article 7 - Waters used for the abstraction of
drinking water
Obligation to undertake special measures for protecting
water bodies used as sources of drinking water
Article 8 Monitoring of surface water status,
groundwater status & protected areas
Obligation to establish programmes to monitor, using
standard methods, the status of water bodies
Article 9 - Recovery of costs for water services
Obligation to carry out economic analysis, to achieve
recovery of full costs of providing water services, and to adopt
water pricing policies which encourage efficient water use
Article 10 - Combined approach for point and diffuse
sources
Obligations to adopt best available techniques and
best environmental practices as set out by existing legislation
(eg. Urban Waste Treatment Directive and Integrated Pollution
Prevention Control Directive)
Article 11 - Programme of measures
Obligation to establish and regularly update a programme
of measures to achieve the obligatory environmental objectives;
includes basic measures such as those within existing legislation
and new controls on abstraction and pollution (Note: diffuse source
pollution covered for first time); and any necessary supplementary
measures.
Article 12 Issues which cannot be dealt
with at Member State level
Means for shared resolution of problems
Article 13 River basin management plans
Obligation to produce plans as prescribed for each
River Basin District: the first by December 2009, with reviewed
and updated versions by December 2015 and thereafter every 6 years
Article 14 Public information and consultation
Obligation to engage the public and interested parties
in implementation of the Directive; and to make information accessible
Article 15 Reporting
Obligation to submit copies of River Basin Management
Plans, and reports on monitoring programmes and progress of implementation,
to the Commission
Article 16 Strategies against pollution
of water
Obligation to adopt measures for particularly hazardous
substances (prescribed list) of hazardous substances: progressive
reduction and cessation for priority substances
Article 17 Strategies to prevent and control
pollution of groundwater
Development of a daughter Directive for Groundwater
by December 2002
Article 18 Commission report
Report on progress of implementation: first by December
2012 and every 6 years thereafter
Article 19 Plans for future community measures
Regulatory Committee to be kept informed by the Commission
of any new developments which may impact on the Directive
Article 20 Technical adaptations to the
Directive
Formats and guidelines will be developed and periodically
updated
Article 21 Regulatory committee
Will be formed to assist the Commission in guiding
and monitoring implementation by Member States
Article 22 Repeals and transitional provisions
A number of existing water Directives will be repealed:
three in December 2007; four in December 2013 (once this Directive
is operational)
Article 23 Penalties
Obligation to adopt effective, proportionate and
dissuasive penalties for national breaches of regulations
Article 24 Implementation
Obligation to bring into force the laws, regulations
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive
at the latest by 22 December 2003
Article 25 Entry into force
22 December 2000
Article 26 Addressees
All Member States
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