Water Framework Directive (WFD)

Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 23rd October 2000, establishing a framework for a Community water policy, commonly known as the “Framework Directive”.

The WFD sets objectives and timescales, including obtaining “good water status” by 2015, and sets out a procedure for achieving these targets and deadlines: making an inventory, defining a surveillance monitoring programme, public consultation and participation in the drawing-up of river basin management plans, adoption of a programme of measures, recovering costs etc.