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The ecological status of European Union surface waters continues to decline, as reported, only 39.6% attained good status in 2021. Member States must urgently implement all measures to achieve a good ecological status to meet the Water Framework Directive’s 2027 deadline. The third River Basin Management Plans are the final opportunity to meet the Water Framework Directive’s objectives and deliver on the Water Resilience Strategy. Key opportunities to accelerate progress and foster synergies to amplify results across policies can be found through the Nature Restoration Regulation.
Figure 1. Distribution of ecological status or potential of rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters
The European Union's Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to reach good ecological status for all surface waters (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) across the EU. This is assessed through ecological status or potential, which reflects ecosystem health based on biological, chemical and hydromorphological elements. In 2021, 39.6% of surface waters reached good or high ecological status, based on data electronically reported by 25 Member States via the Water Information System for Europe platform as part of the third River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs).
This percentage is lower compared to the second RBMPs which reported 42.4% for all 27 Member States. However, it is important to note that the third RBMPs do not include data from Finland and Hungary. If these two countries had also been excluded from the 2015 analysis, the percentage of surface waters in good status would have been 40.5%. Additionally, when data from Norway is included in the current cycle, the figure rises from 39.6% to 47%.
Surface waters are vital ecosystems that provide a wide range of services such as freshwater supply, climate regulation, water purification, recreation, and flood and drought control. However, pollution from urban, agricultural, and industrial sources has degraded water quality, and artificial structures like dams and embankments have disrupted natural connectivity, harming habitats like floodplains and wetlands. Coastal waters are also affected, deteriorating when land-based pollution enters the sea, further extending the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems.
Figure 2. Percentage of water bodies not in good ecological status or potential, per river basin district
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The proportion of water bodies with less than good ecological status, classified as moderate, poor or bad, varies across river basin districts. These statuses are often associated with specific human activities that result in significant pressures on water bodies. They are affected by pollution from atmospheric deposition (59% of waterbodies), hydromorphological changes (57%), stemming from drainage and irrigation for agriculture, hydropower, flood protection, navigation or drinking water supply, and agricultural pollution (32%).
Over 90% of surface waters are below good status in several river basin districts. This includes those in Belgium (Coast, Flanders, Brussels region, North Wallonia), the Netherlands, Luxembourg, northern Germany, the Lielupe in Lithuania, the Elbe and Danube in Czecia and northern Poland.
Other river basin districts report 70-90% of water bodies in less than good status. These include southern and eastern Bulgaria, the Odra in Czechia, southern Germany, the Capital City and Zealand regions of Denmark, the Douro in Spain, parts of northern France and the Loire, the Danube in Croatia, the Neagh Bann in Ireland, southern Italy and Sicily, the Lielupes Upju in Latvia, eastern Poland and southern Sweden.
However, countries with the highest share of water bodies in good or high ecological status include Spain, Greece, Ireland and Cyprus. Some river basin districts in Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia and Italy also report relatively good or high status.
To improve and restore approximately 60.4% of surface waters in the EU that currently fall short of good and high ecological status, full implementation of management and mitigation measures under the WFD is essential. This must be complemented by effective implementation of measures under other relevant legislation. The Nature Restoration Regulation presents a key opportunity to accelerate progress, not only towards achieving the WFD’s objective of good ecological status, but also toward restoring habitats and species across Europe.