Water Framework Directive (WFD)

The Water Framework Directive sets the objective of "good status" for all waters, to be achieved by EU member states. These are environmental objectives (obligation of results) that member states undertake to achieve using the means they deem most appropriate (principle of subsidiarity).

For surface waters, good status criteria are based on biological parameters (ecological status) and chemical parameters (chemical status linked to compliance with environmental quality standards set at EU level), while for groundwater, good status refers to quantitative aspects (balance between recharge and abstraction) and chemical aspects (compliance with quality standards set at EU level, or by Member States at local, regional or national level).