{"id":3318,"date":"2025-03-18T09:55:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T09:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/policy-corner\/circular-economy-act-2\/"},"modified":"2026-04-30T07:43:49","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:43:49","slug":"urban-wastewater-treatment-directive","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/policy-corner\/urban-wastewater-treatment-directive\/","title":{"rendered":"Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) is a legislative proposal published in October 2022 that aimed to revise the current Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive that had been in force for more than 30 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In line with the ambition of the &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/environment.ec.europa.eu\/strategy\/zero-pollution-action-plan_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zero Pollution<\/a>&#8221; initiative, the revision aims to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduce pollution, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve water quality by addressing remaining urban wastewater pollution and improve access to sanitation especially for the most vulnerable and marginalised<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;Ensure pathogens in wastewater are monitored at Member States level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure a more circular water sector.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The revision introduces a new approach to the removal of micropollutants through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) have to be created to set up EPR schemes and guarantee its financing and practical functioning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the European Commission&#8217;s impact assessment, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are responsible for the release of micropollutants in the aquatic environment and are required to financially contribute to the upgrade of wastewater treatment plants to quaternary treatment throughout Europe (Article 9).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Member States will have until 2045 to upgrade the wastewater plants to quaternary treatment (Article 8).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related resources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1c4de44c4032f5e607e60c447e5851be\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b6799ea89fde8a2595cc4357a381cd0c\" style=\"font-size:14px\">December 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Cosmetics Europe reacts to the EC Environmental Omnibus proposal and updated study on costs\u202fof the EPR scheme under UWWTD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/news-events\/cosmetics-europe-reacts-to-the-ec-environmental-omnibus-proposal-and-updated-study-on-costs-of-the-epr-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-408c9a7c61b26fc60368932ce9c34348\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b6799ea89fde8a2595cc4357a381cd0c\" style=\"font-size:14px\">December 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Stop the clock: Cosmetics Industry urges the European Commission to correct flawed data and apply Polluter Pays Principle in the UWWTD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/news-events\/stop-the-clock-cosmetics-industry-urges-the-european-commission-to-correct-flawed-data-and-apply-polluter-pays-principle-in-the-uwwtd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-408c9a7c61b26fc60368932ce9c34348\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f13f17d770a6354c7fa4023232c3c95b\" style=\"font-size:14px\">October 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>A Workable EPR can only be based on correct data and the Polluter Pays Principle &#8211; Cosmetics Europe addresses recent statements by Water Operators<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/news-events\/a-workable-epr-can-only-be-based-on-correct-data-and-the-polluter-pays-principle-cosmetics-europe-addresses-recent-statements-by-water-operators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-408c9a7c61b26fc60368932ce9c34348\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-68e454d4f02b47008cd95209a8c28bc9\" style=\"font-size:14px\">May 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Cosmetics Europe calls for UWWTD to be re-assessed in the light of new evidence provided by the European Commission<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/news-events\/cosmetics-europe-calls-uwwtd-be-re-assessed-light-new-evidence-provided-european-commission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-408c9a7c61b26fc60368932ce9c34348\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-61583c936c6546d67d87b6967e9d19ba\" style=\"font-size:14px\">March 2025<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>The revision of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive disproportionately impacts the cosmetics sector<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/news-events\/major-scientific-advancements-in-the-field-of-sun-protection-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2d844e01049012869a94d317fd0cf7eb\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8b2a3d0ccd5484432e66903aef114bea\" style=\"font-size:14px\">November 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Council adopts the UWWTD recast &#8211; Cosmetics Europe highly concerned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Council-adopts-the-UWWTD-recast-Cosmetics-Europe-highly-concerned.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2d844e01049012869a94d317fd0cf7eb\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5f0cf0bba33ff9a136dfcc594b943069\" style=\"font-size:14px\">January 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Cosmetics Europe reacts to the provisional agreement on the UWWTD recast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Cosmetics-Europe-reacts-to-the-provisional-agreement-on-the-UWWTD-recast.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2d844e01049012869a94d317fd0cf7eb\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e7d35b6115f5aba64531531c62768e19\" style=\"font-size:14px\">October 2023<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Cosmetics Europe disappointed with the Council position on UWWTD recast\u202f<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Cosmetics-Europe-disappointed-with-the-Council-position-on-UWWTD-recast.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Read more\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group border p-3 mb-3 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mb-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:20%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left mt-2 mb-0 has-ce-aubergine-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2d844e01049012869a94d317fd0cf7eb\" style=\"font-size:14px\"><strong><strong><strong>STATEMENT<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e7d35b6115f5aba64531531c62768e19\" style=\"font-size:14px\">October 2023<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column mt-0 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:80%\">\n<p class=\"mb-2\"><strong>Cosmetics Europe concerned about European Parliament\u2019s position on UWWTD revision<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mb-0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Cosmetics-Europe-concerned-about-European-Parliaments-position-on-UWWTD-revision.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column ps-md-5 is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group mb-5 is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h6>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UWWTD-policy-page.jpg 1998w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/cosmetic-products\/unpacking-flawed-data-behind-uwwtd\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/UWWTD-2048x2048.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) is a legislative proposal published in October 2022 that aimed to revise the current Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive that had been in force for more than 30 years.&nbsp;&nbsp; In line with the ambition of the &#8220;Zero Pollution&#8221; initiative, the revision aims to: The revision [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5146,"parent":13,"menu_order":35,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3318","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3318"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5266,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3318\/revisions\/5266"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/13"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cosmeticseurope.eu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}