The Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC) is a legislative framework to protect and improve the quality of all water resources such as rivers, lakes, groundwater, transitional and coastal water within the European Union. The WFD entered into force in December 2000 and member states must incorporate the WFD into national law by the end of 2003. Once this has taken place, several actions have to be taken to achieve "good status" of all European waters by 2015.

The Directive repeals and replaces a number of older EC water Directives and incorporates the remaining existing water Directives (the Bathing Water, Nitrates and Urban Waste Water Treatment Directives) into its framework through its protected areas provisions. The "Natura" Directives on the protection of Habitats and Birds are also linked to this Directive by virtue of the protected area provisions.

Water is essential to all life. Our very existence, as well as our economic activities, is totally dependent upon this precious resource. At a global level water is often a limited resource. However, the status of European water resources is relatively favourable, facing no overall water shortages, while extreme water problems such as droughts and floods are rare. However, Europe's water quality is far from satisfactory. Twenty percent of surface waters in the EU are seriously threatened with pollution while 50% of wetlands have "endangered status". Large amounts of freshwater are used for agriculture and human consumption. The area of irrigated land in Southern Europe has increased by 20% since 1985 while groundwater supplies around 60% of Europe's drinking water.

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External Links
 http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html