A group of over 450 scientists is calling on the European Union to swiftly update its water pollution standards to address the increasing threat of chemical pollution, including PFAS (‘forever chemicals’), in Europe’s freshwater ecosystems.
In an open letter, the undersigned experts urge the European Commission, EU Member States, and the European Parliament to prioritise the state of Europe’s freshwaters in upcoming trilogue negotiations and to uphold the environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Freshwater and coastal habitats are vital biodiversity hotspots that provide essential services such as drinking water, food, and recreation. However, human activity has severely degraded these ecosystems, with freshwater species populations plummeting by 85% since 1970 due to habitat loss and pollution.
Today, less than half of Europe’s water bodies are in good health, and there has been little improvement in freshwater status since 2010. The latest Eurobarometer survey showed that 78% of Europeans are concerned about water pollution and the impact of chemicals on their health and daily lives, and want stronger action at the EU level.
The WFD, adopted in 2000, remains the EU’s primary law for protecting freshwater and coastal ecosystems through an integrated approach to water management. But scientists argue that the monitoring, reporting, and pollution control measures outlined in the WFD need updating to reflect the current extent of chemical pollution and its impacts on aquatic biodiversity. Existing monitoring practices focus on a limited and outdated list of pollutants, failing to account for complex chemical mixtures that often occur in European rivers, even when individual substances are considered safe.
The experts welcome the ongoing update of the WFD and related directives but stress the need for regulatory action to implement new scientific tools, such as effect-based monitoring and non-target screening. These tools can help assess the cumulative impact of chemicals on aquatic life, but they require proper integration into EU regulations.
The scientists highlight that, while increasing monitoring efforts requires investment, the cost of inaction—biodiversity loss, drinking water contamination, and the need for costly remediation—far outweighs the expense.
The undersigned scientists urge policymakers to adopt up-to-date water pollution standards, ensuring the protection of Europe’s freshwater ecosystems for future generations.
Sara Johansson, Senior Policy Officer, EEB, says: “Member States are dragging their feet to curb water pollution, and people and nature have to pay the price. We can’t afford to wait a decade to curb pollution that’s harming Europe’s coastal and freshwater habitats.”
Manon Rouby, Policy Officer at PAN Europe, says: “Water companies have increasing difficulty providing clean drinking water. Intake from surface water has to be stopped regularly because there are too many pesticide residues in the water. Recently, we found TFA, the tiny PFAS, in water everywhere in Europe. This will pollute our drinking water for generations to come.”
Codruta Savu, Water & Climate Change Adaptation Policy Officer at the WWF European Policy Office, notes: “Europe’s waters are drowning in chemical pollution, yet EU water protection standards are nearly obsolete, and enforcement is weak - to the extent that hundreds of scientists are sounding the alarm. We need stronger pollution limits, better monitoring, and full implementation of the Water Framework Directive’s non-deterioration principle.”
Lucille Labayle, Water Quality and Health Policy Officer at Surfrider Foundation Europe adds: “Today’s call from the scientific community is yet another unequivocal proof that our blue spaces are in a highly preoccupying state. It is essential that EU institutions live up to these expectations and rapidly adopt ambitious measures to curb chemical pollution of our marine and freshwaters.”
Erik Ruiz - Safer Pharmaceuticals Programme Manager at Health Care Without Harm Europe: “For years, the impact of pharmaceutical pollution on public health has been underestimated, and monitoring of pharmaceutical substances has been almost non-existent in EU waters. With the antibiotic resistance tsunami threatening the lives of 390,000 Europeans yearly by 2050, improving water quality standards must be a priority for EU policymakers. We need stronger protection of EU water to protect the health of European citizens.”
Vanessa De Santis, Representative of European Fresh and Young Researchers (EFYR): "Speaking as a representative of the next generation of freshwater scientists, I want to share our deep worry for the ecological status of the long-forgotten European inland water bodies. We acknowledge the progresses done so far thanks to the legislation but we strongly believe that Europe can and must do better."
Contact:
- Ben Snelson (Communications Officer for Agriculture and Food, European Environmental Bureau) benedict.snelson [at] eeb.org
- Alejandra Morales (Senior Communications Officer, Agriculture, Freshwater & Climate Adaptation) amorales [at] wwf.eu
- Manon Rouby (Policy Officer & Legal Adviser, PAN Europe) manon [at] pan-europe.info
- Marina Bermúdez (Communication Officer for Pharmaceuticals, Health Care Without Harm Europe) mbermudezpatino [at] hwh.org
Letter:
Statement of support for updated EU water pollution standards
