EU Zero Pollution Action Plan: Mid-Term Review Highlights Progress but Challenges Remain

The European Commission has published the mid-term review of the EU Zero Pollution Action Plan, assessing progress since the strategy was launched in 2021 and outlining priorities for the coming years. The review confirms that while encouraging progress has been made in several areas, significant work remains to meet the EU’s 2030 pollution reduction targets and the longer-term objective of a toxic-free environment by 2050.

The Action Plan is a key pillar of the European Green Deal and aims to reduce pollution in air, water and soil to levels no longer harmful to human health or ecosystems. Clean environments are also considered essential for economic resilience and competitiveness, including sectors such as agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture that depend directly on healthy ecosystems.

You can read the review here

Mixed progress towards 2030 targets

According to the review, progress has been uneven across pollution areas. Reductions have been observed in air pollution, pesticide use, antimicrobial sales and plastic litter on EU coastlines. However, other indicators show limited improvement. Nutrient pollution, waste generation and environmental noise remain largely stable, while microplastic pollution is estimated to have increased in recent years

Importance of clean water and marine ecosystems

The review emphasises the importance of clean oceans and freshwater systems for many economic activities, including fisheries, aquaculture and food production. Pollution from land-based sources, such as nutrient runoff or chemicals, ultimately reaches the marine environment through a “source-to-sea” pathway.

The Commission therefore plans to strengthen the policy framework for marine protection, including a revision of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the development of a future Ocean Act. These initiatives will aim to improve the effectiveness of EU legislation in protecting marine ecosystems and reducing pollution entering the ocean.

For sectors such as aquaculture, the report underlines the importance of maintaining high water quality. Pollution in coastal waters can lead to significant economic losses for shellfish and fish producers, reinforcing the need for stronger monitoring and pollution prevention measures. 

Investment and innovation needed

The review also highlights the significant investment gap associated with implementing EU environmental legislation. The Commission estimates that around €58 billion per year is needed for pollution prevention and control measures, particularly for water protection and wastewater infrastructure.

Next steps

Looking ahead, the Commission will focus on improving implementation of existing legislation and strengthening cooperation with Member States, regions and industry. Upcoming policy initiatives—including the Water Resilience Strategy, the Ocean Pact and revisions to chemicals legislation—are expected to further support the EU’s zero pollution ambitions.

The next updates of the Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook reports, scheduled for 2026 and 2028, will continue to track progress and help guide future policy adjustments.

While the EU is moving in the right direction, the review concludes that reaching the zero-pollution vision will require stronger action across all sectors and sustained investment in cleaner technologies and environmental protection.