The European Commission today considered the measures planned by Portugal to address pressures on the marine environment to be inadequate, and awaits information on the application of water and flooding directives.
A European source told journalists today that the seven member states, including Portugal, that did not present updated strategic plans on the application of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive will be held accountable before the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU), where the infringement proceedings have been referred.
“We have brought those who have not yet submitted new river basin management plans or flood risk management plans to court,” said the source.
The previous version of the strategic plan is valid until a new one is submitted.
The reports in question, the European Commission highlights, provide valuable information on the state of the EU’s fresh and marine waters and the measures taken to improve them, as well as on measures to reduce flood risks.
They also provide country-specific information and tailored recommendations to support continued progress and sustainable water management across Europe.
As regards the programmes of measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the European Commission considers Portugal’s national strategic plan to be inadequate in helping the marine environment cope with the pressures it is subject to.
In the report released today, Brussels highlights that surface waters in the EU are in a critical state due to pollution.
“Only 39.5% of surface water bodies in the EU are in good ecological status and 26.8% in good chemical status”, with mercury being one of the main pollutants, says Brussels.
At a press conference, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall, recalled that “water is a scarce commodity”, referring to the need to look at this natural resource in a different way.
LUSA
