Waste water: EU General Court dismisses 3 appeals by pharmaceutical and cosmetics groups

The General Court of the European Union has ruled that three actions brought by pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies and associations are inadmissible. They were seeking the annulment of certain provisions of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, according to orders published on 18/02/2026.

The notion of "extended producer responsibility" (EPR) was particularly targeted. Under this directive (recast in 2024), Member States must ensure that wastewater discharges "comply with the requirements of quaternary treatment", which aims to "reduce the quantity of a wide range of micropollutants".

The EPR directive also stipulates that "by 31/12/2028 at the latest", Member States must ensure that producers who place products on the market cover various costs, including 80% of those associated with the treatment required to eliminate pollutants in water, as well as monitoring.

"Pharmaceutical and cosmetic residues currently represent the main sources of micropollutants present in urban wastewater for which quaternary treatment is necessary", according to the directive.

The ordinances thus…