With the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EU) (WFD), the EU realigned its water and water protection policy in 2000 and further developed it, including:
- Water protection for all water bodies, groundwater and surface water;
- Obligation to achieve/maintain a “good status” for all waters, as a rule by 2015; ‘good status’ is defined holistically – for surface waters via biology (microfauna, microflora, fish fauna), chemistry and morphology, for groundwater via chemistry and quantitative balance;
- Water management based on river basins, across administrative and political boundaries;
- Linking emission and immission criteria;
- Prices for water-related services that reflect the cost recovery principle and thus support resource protection;
- Broad involvement of citizens, communities and stakeholders in planning and decision-making processes in preparing river basin plans.
By the end of 2020, the European Commission (EC) initiated a pilot procedure for the implementation of the WFD against Luxembourg.
Fresh Thoughts supported the Administration de la Gestion de l’Eau (AGE) in the following areas:
- Development of argumentation lines.
- Drafting responses to the EC’s letter.
- Revision of texts prepared by the AGE.