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Press Release 16.6.2026
©Surfrider Foundation Europe
The European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission just published their 2026 report on the quality of bathing waters in Europe. While the figures presented today show steady trends in bathing water quality in Europe, the environmental NGO Surfrider Foundation Europe questions the capacity of the Bathing Water Directive to tackle the current environmental and society challenges we face and emphasises the need to safeguard the EU’s environmental legislation as a whole to guarantee the successful implementation of the Directive.
Assessment of progress, nothing new under the sun?
22,000 bathing sites were reported in 2025 by EU Member States, Albania and Switzerland of which 96% of them met the minimum requirements of the Bathing Water Directive (BWD). 85% of the sites even reached excellent status, with 88% coastal ones and 78% freshwater ones.
The vast majority of European bathing waters continue to comply with the bacteriological quality standards established under the Bathing Water Directive, highlighting the positive impact of sustained monitoring, regulatory action, and investment in water infrastructure over the past two decades. Surfrider Europe welcomes these results, which demonstrate that targeted policy action can deliver tangible improvements for both public health and the environment.
At the same time, the figures suggest that progress has largely plateaued in the past few years. In fact, over the past ten years (2015-2025), the share of coastal sites of “excellent quality” stalled at around 88% while the share of inland sites even decreased from 82% to 72.2%. Of the 332 sites classified as poor in 2025, less than a third (88) improved to at least sufficient quality.
“This year’s results are therefore a stark reminder that the work is far from complete, argues Lucille Labayle, Water Quality and Healthy Policy Officer at Surfrider Foundation Europe. This situation shows that, although significant gains have been achieved since the Directive entered into force, remediation efforts are still not reaching all affected waters. The management of bathing sites must not only focus on monitoring water quality and also setting up ambitious, long-term strategies to recover.”
A large share of recreational users and key water quality parameters continue to be overlooked by these numbers
The year marks the 20th anniversary of Directive 2006/7/EC. As such, it is essential to take the time to pause and reflect on the progress made. Surfrider praises the huge improvements achieved through the BWD. Yet, twenty years later, the picture we have of bathing water remains incomplete.
Leisure activities and water sports, which are often practiced well beyond the summer season, are currently completely overlooked when determining both bathing sites and the monitoring season. Illustrating the multifaceted character of our blue spaces and how their health benefits go much beyond merely bathing in summer, Miguel Blanco’s documentary ‘Between the Tides’, produced in collaboration with Surfrider Europe and released in May 2026, explores the links between health and pollution that can affect surf spots after suffering from an ear infection himself.
Another loophole of the Directive concerns the parameters used to monitor and assess bathing water quality. The presence of toxic cyanobacterial and algal blooms may lead to advice against bathing. On chemical pollution, the Netherlands have started taken measures to monitor and potentially close bathing sites due to excessive concentrations of PFAS. Yet, the very positive results of bathing water monitoring under the BWD do not reflect these cases.
When the European Commission announced last year that the revision of the Bathing Water Directive was no longer on the agenda, despite the Directive’s evaluation hinting at several key shortcomings, Surfrider expressed deep concerns. As we are now reaching a key milestone, celebrating the 20 years of existence of the 2006 Directive, we remain convinced that the Directive must continue to evolve to remain fit for purpose. We take this opportunity to share our new policy brief, updating our 2021 Manifesto and outlining practical recommendations to strengthen the implementation of the Directive and ensure it continues to protect people and aquatic ecosystems in the decades ahead.
Twenty more years of healthy waters will depend on robust EU legislation
The continued improvement in Europe’s bathing water quality is clear evidence that strong, enforceable environmental legislation delivers tangible benefits for people and nature, as emphasized in this year’s report. Yet it is deeply contradictory to celebrate the success of the BWD while witnessing on the other hand repeated attempts to weaken the very rules that made this progress possible. Two recent news clearly illustrate our growing concerns.
After repeated attacks and hard push-back from the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and calls to weaken the newly introduced Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme. Debates have now reached a political level as Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are set to vote in plenary on a resolution on the implementation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD), putting in jeopardy the future of the recast UWWTD altogether.
Last December, the European Commission set out its intention to review and revise the WFD, as part of its RESourceEU Action Plan, citing the need for simplification and securing access to critical raw materials. Eroding the protections enshrined in the WFD to fast-track extraction projects would undermine vital safeguards against water pollution, exposing ecosystems and communities living near mining sites to increased risks.
“Today’s results demonstrate that cleaner bathing waters did not happen by accident—they are the result of decades of environmental legislation, monitoring and public investment. At a time when key water laws are facing increasing pressure under the banner of simplification and competitivity. If Europe wants resilient water systems and healthy blue spaces for all, it must protect and strengthen its environmental legislation rather than chip away at it" concludes Lucille Labayle.
We remain at the disposal of journalists for any request for information or interviews.
Resources:
Surfrider's updated brief on the future of the Bathing Waters Directive
Our reaction to the evaluation of the Bathing Water Directive
Our reaction to the non-revision of the Bathing Water Directive
Press briefing on mining disasters in Europe and why the WFD matters
Joint release Miguel-blanco & Surfrider 'Between the tides"
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