Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-12-Speech-1-135"
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"en.20060612.18.1-135"2
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"Mr President, allow me to summarise the Commission's views on certain vital issues raised by Parliament.
The amendments relating to the definition of the deterioration in groundwater and regulations for nitrates are exceptionally important. Amendments 12, 18 and 23 propose provisions for maintaining the status quo as regards the quality of groundwater. At the same time, the aim is to prohibit any adverse changes in concentrations of pollutants in groundwater.
I endorse the rapporteur's comment that vigilance is required in order to prevent any deterioration in the quality of groundwater. Nonetheless, the concern that the new directive possibly leaves a margin for additional pollution is addressed through the demand in Article 5 for any important upward trends in concentrations of pollutants to be identified and reversed. In addition, maintaining the status quo is not in keeping with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, in accordance with which the quality of groundwater must be managed so as to prevent any deterioration. As such, the above amendments cannot be accepted.
As regards regulations on nitrates, the Commission can accept Amendment 36 proposing that the reference to the Nitrates Directive be deleted. The Commission considers that this reference is unnecessary if account is taken of the relevant provisions of the Water Framework Directive. As regards programmes of measures to reverse trends in concentrations of nitrates of agricultural origin, it should be noted that the relevant provisions of the Nitrates Directive still cover these programmes, in which case there is no need for them to also be included in this directive, which is why the Commission can accept Amendment 43.
I should like to repeat here that the Nitrates Directive, the Water Framework Directive and this directive have the same objectives as regards the prevention and limitation of contamination from nitrates. Similarly, there are no material differences as regards their legally binding nature and the measures required or the various deadlines. Furthermore, the Nitrates Directive is still important, given that the European Union's water policy aims to address pollution at source. However, it must be incorporated into the general administrative structure of the Water Framework Directive. Certain other amendments are acceptable, such as the references to the common agricultural policy, the storage and recovery of groundwater and research. Similarly, the new definitions of the terms 'background concentration' and 'baseline concentration' and the corresponding references are acceptable.
On the other hand, the Commission cannot agree with Amendment 15, the objective of which is to base standards for groundwater on human and ecotoxicological criteria, given that this issue is dealt with adequately in the Drinking Water Directive. Similarly, Amendments 24, 25, 28 and 29 concern matters already covered by the Water Framework Directive and consequently cannot be accepted.
To close, may I say that the Commission accepts 9 amendments in full and another 19 in principle or in part. Nonetheless, 19 amendments cannot be accepted by the Commission. I shall file a full list of the Commission's positions on the amendments with Parliament's secretariat. I should also like to again thank the rapporteur, Mrs Klaß, on her excellent work."@en1
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