Since yesterday, Member States must monitor, in a harmonised way, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in drinking water to comply with the new EU limit values under the recast Drinking Water Directive. They also have to inform the Commission of these monitoring results, including data on exceedances of the limit values, incidents and any granted derogations.
This measure contributes directly to a key objective of the Water Resilience Strategy – the right to safe drinking water. It also responds to the strategy’s call for urgent action to tackle pollutants that threaten Europe’s drinking water sources.
The recast Drinking Water Directive was adopted in 2020, and Member States were required to transpose the directive into national law by January 2023. To support consistent monitoring across the EU, the Commission issued technical guidelines in 2024.
This is the first time systematic monitoring of PFAS in drinking water is being implemented in the EU. If the limit values are exceeded, Member States must take action to reduce the level of PFAS to protect public health and inform the public. These measures may include closing contaminated wells, adding treatment steps to remove PFAS, or restricting the use of drinking water supplies for as long as the exceedance continues.
Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said: ‘PFAS pollution is a growing concern for drinking water across Europe. With harmonised limits and mandatory monitoring now in force, Member States have the rules and tools to swiftly detect and address PFAS to protect public health.’
You can find more information on the new rules entering into application online.
(For more information: Eva Hrncírová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)
Executive Vice-President Séjourné convenes the first General Assembly of the Critical Chemicals Alliance
Today, Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné convenes the first General Assembly of the Critical Chemicals Alliance at Chemelot Chemical Park in the Netherlands. The General Assembly brings together high-level members of the Alliance from industry, Member States, regional authorities, and civil society. It marks the formal launch of this key initiative under the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan, adopted on 8 July 2025. The plan provides a strategic framework to modernise and strengthen the competitiveness of Europe’s chemicals sector, a cornerstone of the EU economy.
Today’s General Assembly serves as a forum for structured, ongoing dialogue, ensuring close coordination to maintain critical production, address capacity risks, and drive investments in decarbonisation and innovation. The Alliance aims to address global trade challenges, including unfair competition and supply chain dependencies, while promoting incentives to develop lead markets for clean chemical products. By uniting stakeholders around shared priorities, the Alliance will safeguard Europe’s chemicals industry as the ‘industry of industries.’
Membership is open to organisations with relevant activities in the chemical industry, including Member States, regional authorities, companies, associations, investors, academia, and civil society groups who are willing to contribute to this collective effort to secure Europe’s chemical production and accelerate the transition to a greener, more resilient industry.