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Adopted text

Quality of water intended for human consumption ***II

TA-9-2020-0344 · P9_TA(2020)0344 · PE660.303

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament approves the Council's first-reading position on a recast directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption, so the act is adopted in that form. Parliament takes note of two Commission statements annexed to the resolution, on delegated acts and on the procedure for adopting implementing acts. In the first statement, the Commission regrets that its power to modify the directive's annexes was limited to Annex III, and that no power was agreed to amend Annex II on monitoring requirements. In the second, the Commission says invoking point (b) of the second subparagraph of Article 5(4) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 without justification goes against that regulation and must be interpreted restrictively.

Key points

  1. Parliament approves the Council position at first reading on the recast directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption.
  2. Parliament notes that the act is adopted in accordance with the Council position.
  3. Parliament takes note of the Commission statements annexed to the resolution.
  4. The Commission regrets that the co-legislators limited its power to modify the annexes of the revised Drinking Water Directive to Annex III, while it had sought power over Annexes I to IV.
  5. The Commission regrets that no power was agreed to amend Annex II, which it says is needed to update monitoring requirements to scientific and technical progress.
  6. The Commission states that invoking point (b) of the second subparagraph of Article 5(4) of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 without proper justification is contrary to that regulation.
  7. The Commission says that provision is an exception to the general rule and must be interpreted restrictively and justified, not treated as a discretionary power of the legislator.

Who is affected

  • The Commission, whose two statements on delegated acts and implementing acts are annexed to the resolution.
  • The Council and the Commission, which receive Parliament's position.
  • National parliaments, which receive Parliament's position.

Legal basis: Article 294(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.