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Environmental information systems
In the Water Framework Directive, the chemical status of surface waters is assessed based on a Europe-wide list of priority substances.
For other substances, countries can identify river basin specific pollutants (RBSP) as substances which are discharged in significant quantities into the river basin district, but which are not priority substances. These substances are included in the assessment of ecological status. Environmental quality standards (EQS), which are set by each country, provide the threshold to assess status. If the EQS is exceeded, the water body fails to meet good ecological status. The share of waterbodies impacted by river basin specific pollutants is low, but there can be many substances, and where an EQS is exceeded, there can be significant issues for water quality.
River Basin Specific Pollutants
The table shows the River Basin Specific Pollutants (RBSPs), the number of surface water bodies failing good ecological status for that substance, the number of categories (up to 4, for rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters), and the number of countries reporting that RBSP. The higher the numbers, the more widespread the substance is across Europe.
It is possible to filter by 2nd or 3rd river basin management plans (RBMPs), EU-27 or country, and by pollutant name.
The table of the 3rd River Basin Management Plans shows the data of Countries that so far have reported electronically to the EEA for this third cycle and included in the "EU-27": Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden.
Norway has also reported. Norway is not included in EU-27 results, but is selectable in the country filters
Care needs to be taken in interpreting the table. Not all countries have identified a substance as a RBSP and there may be differences in the EQS value applied.