Groundwater: stricter standards agreed in conciliation

Parliament and Council reached agreement in conciliation on the groundwater directive. Parliament's negotiating team successfully pushed for stricter measures by Member States to prevent inputs into groundwater of hazardous substances, so as to better protect this prime source of drinking water. The scope of the directive was broadened, its aim to be protecting groundwater "against pollution and deterioration" and not only "against pollution" as the Council had proposed in its common position.