Germany fails to correctly transpose Drinking Water Directive

Germany has failed to correctly transpose the Drinking Water Directive. It concerns certain risk assessment rules and public access to certain information, including on water monitoring and corrective measures taken. The European Commission has therefore sent a letter of formal notice to Germany. The Member States now has two months to respond and address the shortcomings. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion. 

The recast Drinking Water Directive entered into force in January 2021. Member States were required to transpose the Drinking Water Directive into national law and comply with its provisions by 12 January 2023. In the infringement package published on 11 March the European Commission announces the infringement procedure they have started against Germany.

Enforcement of DWD started in 2025

In 2025, the European Commission started with the enforcement of the Drinking Water Directive. Last year, the commission initiated infringement procedures against ten Member States for failing to transpose the recast Drinking Water Directive correctly into national law. In June Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal received a letter of formal notice. In July letters to Ireland, France and Slovenia were sent and in October Estonia and Austria found a letter on their doorstep.

Interactive map of environmental infringements

The European Commission has published an interactive map showing environmental infringements by Member State and topic. It is possible to select a Member State and see how it is performing as well as when and why infringement procedures were started. The interactive map also shows how many times a Member State has been referred to the European Court of Justice (Article 260 cases). Spain holds the dubious honour of leading in 2025 with nine active water procedures, followed by Italy, Greece and Portugal.