The European Commission has sparked alarm among environmental groups by announcing plans to review and revise the Water Framework Directive (WFD) by the second quarter of 2026 under the RESourceEU Action Plan, citing the goal of promoting “access to critical raw materials in the EU.” Critics warn that this move could seriously undermine European water standards and compromise the continent’s freshwater ecosystems.
Living Rivers Europe, a coalition of water and environmental advocates, condemned the decision as “reckless,” warning that it could accelerate the contamination of rivers and wetlands and threaten wildlife. “The Water Framework Directive is Europe’s frontline defence for clean, safe, and resilient water for millions of people. Dismantling its safeguards reduces it to a set of vague promises, leaving the future of our waters at the mercy of the powerful mining industry,” the coalition said.
The EC’s revision appears to be a response to pressure from the metal and mining sectors. The RESourceEU Action Plan explicitly states that the WFD revision will help “promote access to critical raw materials in the EU.” The announcement came just a week after EuroMines, the EU’s largest lobby group for mining and metal industries, urged the Commission to expand derogations under the WFD and postpone compliance deadlines.
Mining activities pose serious risks to both local communities and the environment. Effluents from mining can contaminate water sources with heavy metals, threatening drinking water and damaging aquatic ecosystems. Critics argue that weakening WFD safeguards to facilitate mining would reverse decades of progress in water quality across Europe.
Civil society organisations are calling on the Commission to base any review of the WFD on scientific evidence and rigorous evaluation rather than the demands of a few polluting industries. They warn that revising the Directive without proper scrutiny undermines public trust in the EU’s commitment to environmental protection.
“The European Commission seems determined to find any possible way to derail environmental laws,” the Living Rivers Europe coalition stated. “It beggars belief that the von der Leyen II Commission is pursuing changes the previous Commission rejected after thorough evaluation.”
Environmental advocates are urging the EC to reconsider the revision and prioritize the long-term health of Europe’s rivers, wetlands, and communities over short-term industrial interests.
