The EU has formally called on Ireland and seven other member states to finalise reviews of river basin management plans and flood risk management plans.
The European Commission will write to the eight member states calling on them to conclude their reviews and related obligations on these plans, which are required under the EU Water Framework Directive and the EU Floods Directive.
Both directives require member states to review, update, and report these plans every six years.
The seven other member states that the commission has written to, besides Ireland, are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
EU water management programmes
River basin management plans include a programme of measures to ensure good status of all water bodies. Flood risk management plans are established based on maps showing the potential adverse consequences associated with flood scenarios.
In February of this year, the commission issued letters of formal notice calling on these member states to comply with their obligations and to finalise the review of their water plans.
However, according to the commission, these member states are still failing to comply with obligations under either one or both of the EU directives.
Specifically, Ireland is late as regards the review, adoption, and reporting of its third river basin management plan, as is Slovenia.
Five of the member states concerned – Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Malta, and Portugal – are late in the review, adoption, and reporting of both their third river basin management plans and their second flood risk management plans.
Slovakia, meanwhile, is late as regards to the review, adoption, and reporting of its second flood risk management plan only.
In a statement, the commission said: “EU water legislation must be fully implemented to reach the EU’s circular economy, biodiversity, zero pollution, and climate change ambitions.”
The commission will send a reasoned opinion to each of the member states concerned, and they will have two months to respond and take the necessary measures.
If the member states do not respond and take those measures, they may be referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union by the commission.