2020 update of the EU list of substances under monitoring in the field of water policy

The decision (EU) 2020/1161 establishing the EU-wide vigilance list of substances subject to monitoring in the field of water policy under Directive 2008/105/EC was published on August 6, 2020.

Directive 2008/105/EC sets environmental quality standards in the field of water.

It establishes a vigilance list of substances for which monitoring data must be collected at European level.

The substances selected are those that are likely to present a significant risk to the aquatic environment and for which monitoring data are needed to assess the actual risk.

The Commission shall update the vigilance list every two years.

On the basis of monitoring data obtained since 2018, the Commission wished to retain in this new list: Metaflumizone, Amoxicillin and Ciprofloxacin, due to the insufficient amount of data obtained.

During the year 2019, the Commission collected data on a series of other substances that could be included in the vigilance list. It consulted experts from Member States as well as stakeholder groups.

The following substances have been added to the list:

- Sulfamethoxazole, a sulfonamide antibiotic

- Trimethoprim, a diaminopyrimidine antibiotic

- The antidepressant Venlafaxine and its metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine

- Three azole pharmaceuticals: Clotrimazole, Fluconazole and Miconazole

- Nine pesticides: Imazalil, Ipconazole, Metconazole, Penconazole, Prochloraz, Tebuconazole, Tetraconazole, Famoxadone and Dimoxystrobin.

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