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5.3.    Exemptions applied for reaching good groundwater quantitative status

For one third of the RBDs (46 out of 135) Members States applied for exemptions for not reaching good quantitative status, either by extending the deadlines or by achieving less stringent objectives (Table 5.2). Out of the 46 RBDs, 50% applied for extension of deadline due to technical feasibility, 43% applied for extension of deadline due to disproportionate cost, 37% applied for extension of deadline due to natural conditions, 26% applied for less stringent objectives due to technical feasibility, and 17% applied for less stringent objectives due to disproportionate cost.

The Member States that applied almost exclusively for extended deadlines are Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Spain, France, Sweden, Hungary and the United Kingdom. The MSs that applied almost exclusively for less stringent objectives are Bulgaria, Estonia and Poland. Finally, Germany, Italy and Malta applied almost equally for both types of exemptions (Figure 5.6). Regarding the justification of the exemptions, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta and Poland claimed technical feasibility issues, Belgium and Sweden referred to natural prevailing conditions, United Kingdom claimed disproportional costs, while Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Hungary claimed of mixture of the three justifications (Figure 5.7). 

Table 5.2 - Exemptions applied for reaching good quantitative status (number of RBDs concerned).

# of RBD

Exemptions

23

Article4(4) – Extension of deadline – Technical feasibility

20

Article4(4) – Extension of deadline – Disproportionate cost

17

Article4(4) – Extension of deadline – Natural conditions

12

Article4(5) – Less stringent objectives – Technical feasibility

8

Article4(5) – Less stringent objectives – Disproportionate cost

46

Total number of RBDs where exemptions were reported

135

Total number of RBDs where data were uploaded to WISE

 

Figure 5.6 – Type of exemptions per Member State

* Number in brackets indicate the number of GWBs

Data source:WISE-WFD database February 2012

Figure 5.7 – Justification of exemptions per Member State

* Number in brackets indicate the number of GWBs

 

Data source:WISE-WFD database February 2012

 

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