Environmental Objectives

 
 
 
Main objectives set by the WFD
The environmental objectives are the core of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The main objectives are manifold and include the following elements
  • No deterioration of status for surface and groundwaters and the protection, enhancement and restoration of all water bodies
  • Achievement of good status by 2015, i.e. good ecological status and good chemical status for surface waters and good chemical and good quantitative status for groundwaters
  • Progressive reduction of pollution of priority substances and phase-out of hazardous substances in surface waters and prevention and limitation of input of pollutants in groundwaters
  • Reversal of any significant upward trend of pollutants in groundwaters
  • Achievement of standards and objectives set for protected areas in Community legislation
In order to achieve good overall status, surface waters must achieve both good ecological and good chemical status. They are assessed by separate ecolocigal classification and chemical classification systems. The overall status is determined by the poorer of these classifications. In water bodies, where more than one of the objectives are related, the most stringent shall apply. Nevertheless, all objectives must be achieved.
 
Less stringent objectives for artificial and heavily modified water bodies
Artificial and heavily modified water bodies are a specific water body category. The have their own classification scheme and objectives. They should achieve a good ecological potential and good chemical status. For water bodies designated as heavily modified, achieving the good ecological status could require measures causing significant adverse effects for its current use and cause unreasonable costs. Therefore, a definition of good ecological potential has been introduced. It means that we manage the water body to achieve the biology that can be achieved given in its changed conditions. Nevertheless, good chemical status must be achieved also in artificial and heavily modified waters.
 
Exemptions
The WFD allows applying exemptions from the environmental objectives, but only under very strict conditions. They can range from small scale temporary exemptions to mid- and long term deviations from the rule of achieving good status by 2015 and include the following aspects:
  • the deadline for achieving good status can be extended by two times six years, in other words, the status must be achieved by 2027 at the latest
  • under certain conditions, less stringent objectives may be accepted
  • the temporary deterioration of the objectives in case of natural causes or force majeur
  • new modifications to the physical characteristics of a surface water, or failure to prevent status deterioration of a body of surface water as a result of new sustainable human development activities.
A justification for exemptions has to be included in the river basin management plan. The assessment of the socio-economic impacts is one key element when considering the application of any exemption. Nevertheless, exemptions for one water body must not compromise achievement of the environmental objectives in other water bodies. In addition, at least the same level of protection must be achieved as required by existing Community law.
 
 
Integrated River Basin Management
+ EU Water Policy
+ Status of Surface Waters
+ Pressures and Impacts
Environmental Objectives
+ Management Measures
+ River Basin Management Planning

Project part-financed
by the European Union