WRITTEN QUESTION E-0742/00

by Marialiese Flemming (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 March 2000)

Subject: Waste water disposal in Athens, Brussels and Milan

With regard to the poisoning of the river Danube and its branches in the region of Serbia and Romania at the present time, it should be pointed out that this situation could only have arisen because of the lack of waste water purification plants.

In this context, how does the Commission plan to deal with the problem of the lack of waste water purification plants in Europe?

What action does the Commission intend to take, in addition to this, with regard to the lack of waste water purification plants within the Union, and what is the situation with regard to waste water disposal in the cities of Athens, Brussels and Milan?

By what date does the Commission expect the work on the planned or improved waste water purification plants to be completed?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 2000)

The issue of waste water treatment is a key factor in relation to public health and the environment. Urgent action is therefore needed in some major European cities in order to assure a high level of protection.

Waste water treatment plants for urban waste water and waste water from the agro-food industry are addressed by the 1991 urban waste water treatment directive (Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991, concerning urban waste water treatment(1)). This requires waste water collection and treatment for all concentrated areas of settlement or economic activity (agglomeration) of more than 2000 inhabitants or the equivalent in waste water pollution, and sets deadlines for achieving the environmental objective in stages, depending on the size of the agglomeration and the characteristics of the affected water.

Waste water from large industrial installations is addressed by the 1996 integrated pollution prevention and control directive (Council Directive 96/61/EC of 24 September 1996(2)). For existing installations there is a transition period until 2007 for compliance with the directive.

Discharge of certain dangerous substances is covered by the 1976 dangerous substances directive (Council Directive 76/769/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations(3)) and its daughter directives on substances such as mercury, cadmium and others.

Waste water sources of relevance not yet covered by the above legislation will be addressed by the forthcoming water framework directive (Parliament second reading February 2000; conciliation and final adoption foreseen spring or summer 2000). Its main objectives will be expanding water protection to all waters, achieving or maintaining good status within a set deadline, water management based on river basins, a combined approach of emission criteria and water quality criteria and involving the citizens more closely in planning and decision taking procedures.

The Commission in 1999 started an assessment of the measures taken by Member States to comply with the first stage of implementation of the urban waste water treatment directive (deadline 31 December 1998), as well as an assessment of the designation of sensitive areas. The results will be known later this year, and the Commission will take all necessary steps to enforce the legislation in cases of non-compliance. As regards known cases of non-compliance (Brussels, Milan), the Commission has already in 1999 started infringement proceedings.

The deadlines for the urban waste water treatment plants to be operational are 31 December 1998, 31 December 2000 and 31 December 2005, depending on the size of the agglomeration and the characteristics of the affected water. The deadline for the large industrial installations is 2007. The deadlines for those sources of pollution only addressed by the water framework directive (priority substances) will be decided by the Parliament and the Council (priority substances) when this directive is finally adopted.

The Community is also providing significant financial support for the construction of wastewater treatment plants in the less well off parts of the Community through, for example, the Cohesion fund (over 3 800 million between 1993-1999). Furthermore, in the context of pre-accession financial assistance, wastewater treatment infrastructure will be a priority of the instrument for structural policies for pre-accession (Council Regulation (EC) No 1267/1999 of 21 June 1999(4)).

(1) OJ L 135, 30.5.1991.

(2) OJ L 257, 10.10.1996.

(3) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.

(4) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.