The European Anglers Alliance (EAA) has co-signed, together with 22 other organisations/associations, an open letter addressed to the European Commission on the need to preserve water resilience and prevent the weakening of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
In the letter, the co-signing organisations underline that the focus should be on accelerating the Water Framework Directive’s implementation and enforcement – as was indicated in the EU Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy.
The co-signing organisations call on the Commission – via this letter – to:
- refrain from reopening, amending or weakening the WFD,
- Prioritise the full and timely implementation and enforcement of the existing water acquis (including the provisional deal to update priority substances in surface water and groundwater) and the Water Resilience Strategy, including through pursuing the Structured Dialogues started at the end of 2025 with Member States,
- Ensure a clear, stable and predictable regulatory environment that safeguards progress, qualified workers and investment.
Why this open letter matters – and why EAA has signed it
The EAA has co-signed this open letter because the future of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) directly affects Europe’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters – and therefore the future of angling.
Several major industries, including mining, agriculture and energy, are currently calling for changes to the WFD. Under the banner of “simplification” and removing obstacles to the “green transition”, they are asking the European Commission to relax some of the Directive’s core requirements.
In practice, this could mean weakening the objectives that are designed to protect and restore clean and healthy waters across the EU. In December 2025, the European Commission announced in its ResourceEU Action Plan that it intends to review
Why does the Water Framework Directive’s matter to the angling community?
The European Anglers Alliance (EEA) has long been engaged in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Since its adoption in 2000, the WFD has driven efforts to:
- reduce pollution,
- restore river continuity and
- improve the ecological status of Europe’s waters.
It covers rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuaries and other aquatic ecosystems — the very environments on which fish populations depend.
Yet, despite progress, many waters across the EU still fail to reach “good environmental status (GES)”. Climate change, habitat fragmentation, water abstraction and emerging pollutants continue to affect our freshwater ecosystems, fish stocks and aquatic biodiversity.
For the recreational fisheries sector, the link is clear:
- Clean water means healthy fish.
- Restored river connectivity means successful fish migration.
- Strong environmental standards mean sustainable angling opportunities for future generations.
The European Anglers Alliance calls for full and strict implementation of the Water Framework Directive, alongside the political will to adapt its application to today’s environmental realities.
Weakening existing safeguards would further endanger fish stocks, biodiversity and the angling experience. EAA will continue to advocate at EU level for healthy waters, free fish migration and resilient freshwater ecosystems — for anglers today and future generations.
More information
Read the full letter (in PDF version) via the link below:
Civil society letter on WFD revision_18 February 2026
More information on the Water Framework Directive & EAA’s position via the link below:
