Local and regional representatives from Norway and Iceland push for stronger involvement in wastewater treatment and public procurement rules

It adopted Opinions on the revised Directive on Urban Wastewater Treatment and on the potential revision of the Public Procurement Directives. The meeting was chaired by Mr Tom Georg Indrevik, Mayor of Øygarden municipality from the Norwegian delegation of the Forum.

Revised rules on urban wastewater crucial for local and regional authorities

On the first day, the focus was on the revised EU rules for the treatment of urban wastewater – an issue of great importance to local and regional authorities, who will be responsible for a major part of their implementation. The existing Directive on Urban Wastewater Treatment (UWWTD) from 1991 sets out EU-wide rules for the collection, treatment and discharge of urban wastewater. The revised UWWTD, which was adopted by the Council of the European Union in November 2024, addresses new challenges such as climate change, and targets pollutants such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals.

“The UWWTD has played a crucial role in improving the quality of the rivers, lakes and seas in Europe over the last 30 years”, said the rapporteur of the UWWTD-Opinion, Ms Þórdís Lóa Þórhallsdóttir, Deputy-Mayor of the City of Reykjavik. . “We welcome the fact that it is now being revised for the first time since its introduction. When implementing the revised rules, it will be vital to involve local and regional authorities to strike the right balance between the need for wastewater treatment and the costs incurred by residents.”

Overhaul of Public Procurement Directives: An opportunity to simplify rules

The second day of meetings centred on the forthcoming evaluation and potential revision of the Public Procurement Directives, announced in the Political Guidelines for the European Commission for 2024–2029. “The main objective of the Public Procurement Directives was to create competition and ensure transparency and equal treatment between suppliers”, said the rapporteur of the Opinion on Public Procurement, Mr Ståle Grøtte, Member of the executive committee, Rælingen municipality “A revision would represent an opportunity to simplify the rules, enabling public authorities to focus on the core objectives of their purchases.”

Background:

The EEA EFTA Forum is an advisory body established in 2009 following a decision of the EFTA Standing Committee. It is composed of elected representatives from local and regional authorities in Iceland and Norway, with Swiss representatives participating as observers. This informal body plays a crucial role in discussing and advising on EEA-related issues. In 2025, Iceland will take over as Chair.

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EEA EFTA Forum Opinions