States given low marks over EU water law

Environmental group EEB has attacked EU governments for taking a "minimalist" approach to implementing the bloc's water framework directive.  A report issued on Thursday draws together views of environmentalists around the EU.  It calls on the European Commission and on national NGOs to take a tough line on bad legal practice.

Many member states have now passed legislation transposing the directive into national law.  The EEB's main concern is with the quality of laws being passed and that of subsequent implementation.

Only eight countries have included the directive's overall objective of achieving good water status by 2015, the group says.  The "vast majority" has failed to establish proper legal and administrative provisions to improve water management, it goes on.  Only three countries have established sufficiently powerful river basin water authorities.

The EEB calls on governments to regain a "sense of urgency" in their implementation efforts.  They should "dramatically increase" their investment, it says, strengthen public participation and boost funding of environmental groups.

Follow-up: EEB http://www.eeb.org/index/, tel: +32 2 289 1090,

a press release http://www.eeb.org/press/pr_water_protection_at_stake_survey_100305.htm

and the report http://www.eeb.org/activities/water/making-WFD-work-February05.pdf.