Scientists' statement on pollutants in water
Deadline extended to 9 September 2025
UPDATE: Extended deadline for signatures
Scientists' Statement of support for updated EU water pollution standards
Deadline for signatures is 9 September 2025
Ahead of the final negotiation meeting between representatives of the EU institutions to agree on the new water pollution standards on 23 September 2025.
We are pleased to share an invitation for all scientists, researchers and academics to sign the Scientists' statement on pollutants in water: deadline for signatures is 9 September 2025.
The recent EEA report ‘Europe's state of water 2024’ was a stark reminder that Europe’s freshwater and coastal ecosystems are under serious pressure. Nearly a quarter of a century after the adoption of the EU’s main water law, the Water Framework Directive (WFD), only 29% of surface waters and 77% of groundwater body area are reported to be in good chemical status.
Yet, this does not give the full picture, as chemical status under the WFD is only assessed against a small fraction of the substances present in the environment and largely overlooks the effects of chemical mixtures. In short, the full picture of chemical pollution in aquatic environments is underestimated and underreported.
The European institutions are now in the process of updating the priority pollutants to be regulated under EU water law, but the process is facing delays and EU Member States want to misuse this technical update of EU water pollution standards to weaken existing environmental safeguards of the WFD.
Calling all scientists, researchers and academics. We invite you to sign the Scientists' statement on pollutants in water – deadline for signatures
is now 9 September 2025.
We are inviting you to sign this statement in support of maintained ambition in the upcoming negotiations between the EU institutions on the final text.
The statement will be open for signatures up until 9 September 2025. Please note that sign-on is restricted to scientists, researchers and academics. We invite you to share it widely within your networks.
You can sign the statement here.
For more information, please see this background briefing.
Scientists' statement on pollutants in water
Deadline for signatures 9 September 2025
EEA report
Europe's state of water 2024: the need for improved water resilience
Report (PDF) Published 14 Oct 2024
