Water pricing in the EU Water Frame Directive: Realizing full cost recovery and polluter-pays principles

摘要

In this article the reasons and consequences of water pricing in accordance with the new EU Water Framework Directive are discussed. From 2010 on EU legislation requires water prices to reflect the principles of full cost recovery and the polluter-pays principle. Thus, all operational, social and environmental costs of water use are to be considered in water pricing with the objective of introducing incentives for economical water use. The authors show that full realization of this policy will be impossible due to various reasons. Nevertheless, introduction of full cost recovery prices will be of benefit to European waters.