Water Framework Directive found to be 'fit for purpose'

The news was greeted with relief by environmentalists, who had long argued that the dire state of many of Europe's freshwater ecosystems was down to a failure by governments to properly implement the legislation, and feared government pressure could lead to a weakening of the law.

Andreas Baumüller, head of natural resources at WWF’s European Policy Office, congratulated Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for concluding the review before the end of the year.