Brussels points out that surface waters in the EU are critical due to pollution
The European Commission considered Tuesday inadequate the measures planned by Portugal to meet the pressures on the sea and expect information on the application of water and flood directives.
European source told journalists today that the seven Member States, such as Portugal, who did not present the updated strategic plans on the application of the water directive and the Flood Directive will respond before the European Union Court (EU) to where the infraction process was sent.
“For those who have not yet presented the new watershed management plans or flood risk management plans, we brought them to court,” the source said.
The previous version of the strategic plan is valid until a new one is submitted.
The reports concerned, the European Commission highlights, provide valuable information about the state of the Sweet Waters and Marinhas of the EU and the measures taken to improve, as well as the measures to reduce the risk of flooding.
They also provide specific information by country and adapted recommendations to support continuous progress and sustainable management of water across Europe.
Regarding the measurement programs of the Marine Strategy Directive, the European Commission found the national strategic plan inadequate to help the marine environment to meet the pressures to which it is subject.
In the report released on Tuesday, Brussels points out that surface waters in the EU are in critical condition due to pollution.
“Only 39.5% of EU’s surface water masses are in a good ecological condition and 26.8% in good chemical condition”, being Mercury one of the main pollutants, highlights Brussels.
At a press conference, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Water Resilience and Jessika Roswall Competitive Circular Economy, recalled that “water is a scarce,” referring to the need to look otherwise for this natural resource.
