EC: publication of a guidance on European water legislation

The European Commission is publishing a guidance on the application of EU water legislation to facilitate its implementation and reduce legal uncertainty for project developers, particularly in the mining sector, on 22/05/2026.
This guidance, which is not binding but explanatory, is part of the European Water Resilience Strategy and the RESourceEU action plan, which aim to reconcile protection of the resource with access to the critical raw materials needed for the energy and industrial transition.

The guidance specifies the interpretation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and its "daughter" directives (Groundwater Directive, Environmental Quality Standards Directive), through eight questions, and the answers provided "according to the Commission's interpretation". They detail the way in which national authorities must assess the environmental impact of new projects on water quality, in particular those affecting the chemical status of bodies of water and falling under the rules allowing, in certain cases, a reduction in environmental objectives (short-term deterioration…