Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-16-Speech-1-098"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080616.20.1-098"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are a discussing one of the most crucial challenges of environmental policy: the protection of our water resources for our own benefit and that of future generations.
Let me end by once again expressing my satisfaction with the work that has been jointly accomplished, particularly by the rapporteur. I reaffirm the Commission’s full support for the compromise package of measures that has been agreed on this very important legislative instrument at second reading.
Let me begin by congratulating the rapporteur, Mrs Laperrouze, and the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on the excellent work they have done, and their collaboration on this directive.
As you will remember, in the Water Framework Directive, the main legislative instrument for EU policy on the protection of water, allowance was made for further legislation being necessary on two issues: EU quality standards for groundwater and EU quality standards for priority substances in surface water.
The Groundwater Directive was approved at the end of 2006 by means of the conciliation procedure. Today the European Parliament is to decide at second reading on the proposed directive on environmental quality standards for priority substances in surface water. The directive lays down harmonised quality standards for the 33 listed substances, so that the basic concept of good water quality is expressed in fixed numerical values based on the best available scientific data and knowledge. The directive will thus contribute towards achieving a high level of protection of the aquatic environment and human health. This is, moreover, the aim of the Water Framework Directive.
The Commission is determined to keep a close eye on the enforcement of this directive and the Water Framework Directive. It also aims to monitor and evaluate the available information on the presence and impact of substances not included in the priority list or the list of priority hazardous substances. It intends to submit proposals for the adoption of further necessary measures, as appropriate.
Throughout the negotiation process, Parliament’s interventions on various important issues have contributed towards securing the ambitious level of targets originally proposed by the Commission. This applies especially to key points such as: the future revision of the priority substances list, which is now clearly linked to environmental quality standards and will be proposed within two years of the entry into force of this directive; the list of candidate substances to be examined when the existing list is revised; and the criteria for the inventory of emissions, discharges and leaks, and for mixing zones.
Let me also briefly mention the issue of pollutant emission control. As you know, the Water Framework Directive provides for an approach linking emission controls and environmental quality standards. Emission controls are to a large extent covered by existing Community legislation. In addition to emission controls under the directives on urban waste-water treatment, pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources, and integrated pollution prevention and control (directives that were already in force when the Water Framework Directive was approved in 2000), more than 30 Community legislative instruments have in the meantime been enacted or proposed by the Commission. Let me mention some of these by way of example: the REACH Regulation, the Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Mining Waste Directive, and the restrictions on use of substances under the Pesticides Directive, and the Directive on Restriction of the Circulation and Use of Certain Hazardous Substances.
We therefore believe that the Member States have sufficient legislative tools at their disposal to achieve the aims of the Water Framework Directive.
In addition, the Commission will assess the need for further control measures at Community level and, if necessary, submit proposals when revising the list of priority substances. The Commission will also assess the need to class priority substances as priority hazardous substances, taking into account the new information that will be available, and the latest developments within the scope of the REACH Regulation."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples