Amending Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, Directive 2006/118/EC on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration and Directive 2008/105/EC on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy
A proposed EU law. Parliament and the Council must agree on the same text: Parliament adopts its position, then negotiates with the Council.
Where it stands: Completed: published in the Official Journal on 20 April 2026 and now EU law.
- ✓ Referred to committee 12 March 2026
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 17 March 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 18 March 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Voted 26 March 2026
- ✓ Negotiations with the Council Deal approved in committee 20 October 2025
- ✓ Published as law 20 April 2026
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. For a law, Parliament’s adopted text is its first-reading position; Parliament and the Council then negotiate a common text (trilogues) which both must approve before it is published as law.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- ENVI — Environment, Climate and Food Safety
- Rapporteurs
- Javi LÓPEZ S&DMEP #197446 S&D
- Shadow rapporteurs
- MEP #197616 IDMEP #130256 PPEHildegard BENTELE PPEJorge BUXADÉ VILLALBA PfEPietro FIOCCHI ECRMEP #124887 ECRMichal WIEZIK RenewMEP #96776 RenewVille NIINISTÖ Verts/ALEKai TEGETHOFF Verts/ALEPer CLAUSEN The LeftMarina MESURE The Left
- For opinion
- PECH — Fisheries BUDG — Budgets AGRI — Agriculture and Rural Development · rapporteur Martin HÄUSLING Verts/ALEITRE — Industry, Research and Energy · rapporteur Lina GÁLVEZ S&D
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Committee opinions: Opinion (ITRE),Opinion (AGRI),Draft opinion (AGRI)
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Outcome
- 20 April 2026 Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
- 30 March 2026 Signed by the Presidents of Parliament and the Council
The last step before the act is published in the Official Journal.
- Plenary stage
- 26 March 2026 Plenary vote
- 18 March 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 17 March 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 12 March 2026 Referred to the ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; PECH (Fisheries), BUDG (Budgets), AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development), ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) give an opinion.
- 9 March 2026 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- Negotiations with the Council
- 20 October 2025 Committee approved the deal reached with the Council
The provisional agreement from the trilogues goes to the whole Parliament for a vote.
- 23 September 2025 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 17 June 2025 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 20 May 2025 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- 28 January 2025 Trilogue meeting
Negotiation between Parliament, Council and Commission on a common text.
- Plenary stage
- 24 April 2024 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 452 Against 43 Abstained 83
Final vote at 18:45 · 78% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
- Negotiations with the Council
- 12 September 2023 Parliament opened negotiations with the Council
After its vote Parliament sent the file back to committee, so that its negotiators can seek a compromise text with the Council (in “trilogues”).
- Plenary stage
- 12 September 2023 Plenary vote
- 11 September 2023 Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
- 12 July 2023 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 27 June 2023 Committee vote: report adopted
ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 12 June 2023 ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 23 May 2023 AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
- 4 April – 5 May 2023 Amendments tabled in committee (3 batches)
Members of ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety) proposed changes to the draft.
- 20 February 2023 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 19 January 2023 Referred to the ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; PECH (Fisheries), BUDG (Budgets), AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development), ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) give an opinion.