The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (link) was adopted in 2000 after a12-yearof negotiation. The ambition was to restore the good ecological quality by 2015. Compared to previous EU Directives which deal with punctual issues (drinking water, bathing water, hazardous substances, etc. ) or specific pollution (urban waste water, nitrates), the WFD was clearly a big change since it provided an integrated water management approach at river basin level. This was coupled with other advanced features such as
- Objective driven legislation
- Ecological quality as a mean of integration
- Adaptive planning capacity (6 year cycle)
- Economic instruments to support decision-making and to influence polluters’ behavior
- Transboundary cooperation (60% of the EU surface area lies in river basins that cross at least one national border)
Sustainable Synergies 