Joint civil society priorities for the trialogue negotiations on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

Joint civil society priorities for the trialogue negotiations on the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive January 2024 We, the undersigned organisations call upon all EU Member States, Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission, to adopt a strong Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) that is fit for purpose to address current and emerging threats to ecosystems and human. [...] Now is the chance to update the EU’s already 30-year-old wastewater rules and make them respond to the challenges of today, not least in tackling pollutants of emerging concern. [...] The Commission has proposed an ambitious overhaul of the rules, but we are concerned about certain changes proposed by the Parliament and – in particular - the Council that would significantly weaken the Commission’s proposal. [...] We therefore call upon national governments, Members of the European Parliament and the European Commission to safeguard the following key elements in the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive in the trialogue negotiations. [...] Delaying action, watering down the ambition or introducing loopholes to the recast law will only make it more difficult and more costly to deal with the consequences.