How can the protection of rivers, lakes, groundwater and seas be better integrated, while targeting measures at the pressures that most affect their condition? On 5 October 2026, the European Commission published new and updated assessments of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Floods Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The assessments highlight both the progress achieved and the areas where stronger action is needed to improve water status and strengthen water resilience.

The Commission warns that pollution remains one of the main obstacles to achieving good ecological and chemical status in water bodies. It particularly highlights diffuse nutrient pollution, chemical pollution, disruptions to natural river flow regimes and other hydromorphological pressures, namely changes to the physical characteristics of watercourses and flow conditions. Water protection therefore requires both reducing pollution and preserving the conditions necessary for aquatic ecosystems to function.

The new publication supplements the assessments of Member States that were not covered by the original reports published in February 2025. Croatia is now included in the updated assessment of programmes of measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, while the new assessments of river basin management plans and flood risk management plans cover eight other Member States.

The “source-to-sea” approach links the protection of freshwater and marine systems with the management of water-related risks. The Commission’s assessments examine the status of water bodies, the measures taken to improve their condition and reduce flood risks, and provide recommendations for individual Member States. Alongside the progress achieved, they highlight persistent pollution pressures, insufficient monitoring, and a lack of ambition and funding for measures addressing existing challenges.

The European Commission’s findings are directly relevant to the work of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Institute for Water. The report Water Status and Changes in the Republic of Croatia 2022–2024 brings together the results of national monitoring across different water categories and emphasises the importance of jointly assessing chemical, biological and hydromorphological indicators. This approach enables a more comprehensive understanding of water status and helps identify areas where further monitoring and protective measures should be prioritised.

The relationship between the results of water and biota analyses – that is, analyses of aquatic organisms – is particularly important. The Institute’s report shows that, at some monitoring stations, good chemical status based on water analysis alone was not sufficient to achieve a good overall chemical status assessment. When the results of biota testing were also included in the overall assessment, the status was rated less favourably because certain pollutants in organisms did not meet the prescribed environmental quality standards. This pattern is particularly pronounced in transitional and coastal waters and demonstrates why water analysis alone does not provide a complete picture of chemical status.

A less favourable overall assessment does not necessarily mean that new pollution occurred or that conditions actually deteriorated during the year under review. More comprehensive monitoring may reveal pressures that water analysis alone does not detect. Reliable interpretation of changes therefore requires consideration of the scope of testing, the monitoring network, the indicators and environmental matrices analysed, and the comparability of data over time.

The Commission is continuing structured dialogues with Member States to accelerate the implementation of European water legislation, identify obstacles and agree practical solutions. The European Water Resilience Strategy provides additional tools to address the pressures identified in the assessments. Effective water protection depends on bringing together reliable data, expert interpretation and actionable measures, and on monitoring their effects – from river basins to the sea.

The European Commission’s original announcement and links to the related assessments are available on the following webpage.