The European Commission has opened infringement procedures against Estonia and Austria for failing to correctly transpose the Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184) into national law. The Directive is a key component of the EU’s efforts to improve water resilience and achieve its zero pollution ambition, ensuring that citizens across Europe have access to safe, high-quality drinking water.
The Commission sent letters of formal notice to both Member States, marking the first step in the EU’s infringement procedure. Member States were required to bring their national legislation in line with the Directive by 12 January 2023, but conformity checks revealed several shortcomings.
In the case of Estonia, the Commission identified gaps concerning:
- measures to be taken in case of potential danger to human health from drinking water,
- the conformity of materials in contact with drinking water, and
- the implementation of the Directive’s risk-based approach obligations.
For Austria, the Commission noted non-conformities related to:
- general obligations and quality standards in the Land of Carinthia,
- the transposition of rules on risk assessment and risk management for catchment areas, supply systems, and domestic distribution systems, and
- monitoring and consumer information obligations, including the requirement for operators to make information available online.
Both countries now have two months to reply to the Commission and address the identified shortcomings. If their responses are deemed unsatisfactory, the Commission may proceed by issuing reasoned opinions, the next formal step in the infringement process.
The recast Drinking Water Directive, adopted in 2020, strengthens public health protection by updating water quality standards, addressing pollutants of emerging concern such as endocrine disruptors and microplastics, and setting out rules for cleaner and safer tap water across the EU.
