Europe's beaches cleaner than ever - EU report
Date: 22-May-01
Country: EU
The annual report, aimed partly at helping tourists avoid filthy bathing water, showed the European Union's 11,500 beaches had improved markedly since 1992 when only 85 percent reached the required standard.
EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said the 18th annual water report was encouraging.
"I don't think people want to have their holidays spoiled by stomach infections and skin rashes," she told a news briefing.
She said improved water quality was proof of the value of a 25-year-old EU law which sets limits on harmful microbes in water at beaches and freshwater bathing areas and requires regular sampling and testing.
Belgium scored the highest, the only country to have a 100 percent record on all its beaches in sewage bacteria tests during the 2000 bathing season.
But Commission expert Bert Van Maele pointed out that Belgium only has a coastline of 63 km (39 miles) and most Belgian rivers discharged in other countries.
Portugal scored the lowest with a 92.2 percent pass rate, and its freshwater sites were worse with only 69 percent meeting the required standard.
France, with one of the longest coastlines and biggest tourist industries in the 15-country EU, was absent from the report as it has been prevented from submitting data for the second year running by an industrial dispute.
Although French beaches display water quality standards locally, the dispute with testing staff has meant the information has not been collated at national or European level.
"Of course, it casts a shadow over France that they haven't done the report," Wallstrom said. "I don't know if it makes tourists choose another country, but it's not good."
Travellers can access the information on the Commission's Internet site at http://europa.eu.int/water.
