Press Release: Water policy: Commission takes legal action against Italy, Spain and Greece over key directive

The European Commission on 18 October 2005 sent final warnings to Italy, Spain and Greece for not complying with basic provisions under the EU Water Framework Directive. The timely designation of their river basin districts, which should have been done already in June 2004, was one of the important building blocs needed to achieve good quality of all water resources. The European Commission also sent first warnings to Italy and Greece for failing to submit environmental studies on the current state of their water resources.