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Implications of flexibility in European Community environmental law: exemptions from environmental objectives in the Water Framework Directive

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Abstract

The present article is a brief review of the legal characteristics of water quality objectives and legally permissible exemptions from these objectives, as enacted in the EC Water Framework Directive. Six different types of exemptions have been identified in total. These vary markedly in the legal premises of their feasibility, ranging from the set deadlines for the environmental objectives to application of less stringent environmental objectives for certain water bodies.

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Correspondence to Elisabeth Grönlund.

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Guest editors: T. Nõges, R. Eckmann, K. Kangur, P. Nõges, A. Reinart, G. Roll, H. Simola & M. Viljanen.

European Large Lakes—Ecosystem changes and their ecological and socioeconomic impacts.

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Grönlund, E., Määttä, T. Implications of flexibility in European Community environmental law: exemptions from environmental objectives in the Water Framework Directive. Hydrobiologia 599, 221–226 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9214-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9214-y

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