Goals of the Water Framework Directive: prevent deterioration and protect, enhance and restore ecological status

Moritz Reese

Chapter 11 in Research Handbook on EU Water Law, 2026, pp 180-208 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The Water Framework Directive provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for water protection and the management of water bodies in Europe. In 1998, the Member States committed themselves to a long-term, quality-based management approach and defined binding water-quality targets that were or are to be achieved by 2015 or 2027 at the latest. This article presents the system of quality objectives, including exemptions, and discusses key questions of interpretation, as well as implementation problems.

Keywords: Water Framework Directive; Quality objectives; Ecological status; Chemical status; Exemptions; Less stringent objectives; Deadline extension; Deterioration ban (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035336425
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