#Romania2019.eu /EU Council adopts position on revision of Drinking Water Directive

AGERPRES special correspondent to Brussels, Belgium, Oana Ghita reports: The European Council on Tuesday adopted its position on the proposal to revise the drinking water directive, with Romania's Minister of Waters and Forestry Ioan Denes telling a news conference that is a "notable result for the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council." "I am pleased glad that under this agreement we are showing the European citizens the importance we attach to improving access to water and the provision of clean and safe drinking water. We have managed to reach a balanced compromise solution between the obligations to improve or maintain access to water and the level of flexibility to take the necessary measures, depending on the geographical, social and cultural needs of the member states," said Denes. At the same time, he added that minimum hygienic requirements are included in the directive. "With this approach, we will focus time and resources on those risks that are really important, and on cost-effective measures," he said. He added that this vision "will be the basis for the commencement of negotiations with the European Parliament under the forthcoming Council presidencies." The European Council on Tuesday adopted its position on the proposal to revise the drinking water directive. The proposed new rules update the quality standards drinking water must meet and introduce a cost-effective risk-based approach to monitoring water quality. They also contain new provisions on materials in contact with drinking water and on improving access to water. The revision is a direct result of the first-ever successful European citizens' initiative ‘Right2Water' Also attending the news conference in Brussels alongside Denes was Romania's Minister of Environment Gratiela Gavrilescu, who talked about Tuesday's debates at a meeting of the Environment Council she chaired. "The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union aims to advance the European agenda in the field of environment and climate change in order to contribute to the implementation of the sustainable development goals, as well as the Paris agreement," she said. Gavrilescu mentioned that among the themes addressed by the meeting were investment in research, innovation and development, "the need for consistence between the national energy and climate plans of the member states and the EU's long-term strategy," as well as the importance of technological neutrality and the principle of safe and sustainable energy. "I think the idea that we need to have a healthy climate change concept that also involves tackling the issues of agriculture, transport, energy and finance has become clear today," she said. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)