In March 2015 the European Commission published a list of 10 substances (e.g. E2, EE2, diclofenac) which member states have to monitor in the coming period in order to determine whether or not European Environmental Quality Standards should be determined (2015/495/EU).

Today the JRC (Joint Research Centre of the European Commission) is already busy in determining substances or groups of substances which could be added to this watch list. The JRC report ‘Development of the first Watch List under the Environmental Quality Standards Directive- 2015’ short-lists seven substances or groups of substances:

· Oxadiazon

· Methiocarb

· 2,6-ditert-butyl-4-methylphenol

· Tri-allate

· Imidacloprid, Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Clothianidin, Acetamiprid

· Erythromycin Clarithromycin, Azithromycin

· 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate

In the frame of EQS directive, the Commission has to develop and/or update every 4 years the list of priority substances as well as the candidates’ to this list, the so called ‘watch list’. The substances are selected to these lists due to the high risk of polluting aquatic environment and a possible threat to the human health.

The link to the new JRC technical report is here.