The Water Framework Directive, agreed by the European Union in 2000, is designed to give the EU common standards to improve the quality of lakes, rivers and coastal waters.

But nine countries failed to meet a deadline at the end of last year to transpose the directive onto their national statute books -- Belgium, Britain, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden.

The commission, the EU's executive branch, said it had issued final written warnings demanding the nine implement the rules, typically within two months, or face legal action.

Brussels also took to task seven countries -- Britain, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain -- for failing to meet a December 2000 deadline to install proper treatment for waste water from urban centres.

"The Water Framework Directive is one of the most ambitious pieces of water legislation in the world," EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said in a statement.

"It will improve the quality of our waters and protect them -- but only if it is implemented correctly," the Swedish official said.

"The correct treatment of urban waste water is also crucial for water quality by making sure that our waters are not polluted by badly treated sewage," she added.

TERRA.WIRE