A majority in Parliament supported a proposal from conservative and right-wing groups to temporarily halt the payment obligation for the industry. They want the European Commission to first conduct new research into the costs and which sectors are responsible for the pollution.
Other groups in the European Parliament oppose such a suspension. While they also support new research, they believe the principle that ‘the polluter pays’ must be upheld. According to them, the implementation of the directive should not be postponed while the research is ongoing.
Also the Ministers
Earlier last week, it became clear that there is also disagreement among the health ministers of the 27 EU countries about the claim that pharmaceutical companies should remove drug residues from wastewater (i.e., contribute to the modernization of sewage treatment plants).
Promotion
The directive proposed by the Commission stipulates that pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies must bear a large part of the costs for an additional purification step in wastewater treatment plants. This new treatment is intended to remove micro-pollutants, such as drug residues and microplastics, from the water.
Medicine Shortage?
Supporters of the temporary suspension warn that the regulation could put pressure on the European pharmaceutical industry. They argue there is a risk that higher costs could affect the availability of medicines. Therefore, they believe it must first be verified whether the European Commission's calculations are correct.
The pharmaceutical sector also disputes the estimates on which the directive is based. According to the sector, the expected costs are higher than those calculated by the Commission, and not only pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are responsible for the pollution of wastewater.
Passing the Buck
Opponents of the suspension fear that the ‘polluter pays’ principle will be undermined. They warn that costs could ultimately fall on water companies, governments, or citizens if the industry's contribution is postponed.
Almost all political groups agree that independent research is needed on costs and pollution distribution. The disagreements mostly concern whether existing obligations should be suspended during that research.
The adopted resolution is not legally binding but increases political pressure on the European Commission. The coming period will reveal the conclusions drawn from the new research and the consequences for further implementation of the European wastewater directive.