Press Release: Commission paves way for more efficient water pricing

The European Commission adopted a Communication on 28 July 2000 on pricing policies to enhance the sustainability of water resources. Water charging is a key element of the proposed Water Framework Directive, on which the Council and the European Parliament reached agreement on 28 June. The Directive promotes pricing as an incentive for the sustainable use of water resources and to recover the costs of water services by economic sector. A growing number of stakeholders in the EU agree that it is necessary to make existing pricing policies more efficient, and to develop common guidelines for the use of water charging. With this Communication the Commission aims to provoke a debate, which will result in effective implementation of the water pricing Article of the Water Framework Directive. This will contribute to meeting the environmental objectives of the Directive in the most cost-effective way.

• Primary Source

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/policy_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/environment/policy_en.htm

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