"Today, the European Commission decided to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to take sufficient action in the Walloon region on nitrate pollution as required under the Nitrates Directive," the statement read.
Wallonia is suffering from nitrate pollution, which is actively increasing in about a third of the observed groundwater monitoring points, the European Commission said, adding that the Belgian authorities had not yet included measures to prevent and reduce pollution in their action program, despite receiving numerous formal notices.
The EU Nitrates Directive is a part of the EU Water Framework Directive and is one of the main tools to preserve water from agricultural pollution. The directive obliges member states to monitor their waters and identify risks of pollution caused by nitrates from agriculture. In addition, the countries should develop appropriate programs to prevent and reduce this type of pollution.