This directive’s key aims are: expanding the scope of water protection to all waters, surface waters, and groundwater; combining emission limit values and quality standards; getting the citizen involved more closely; and streamlining legislation. See Carter (2007) Geog. J. 173, 4 and Kay et al. (2007) PPG 31, 1.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/index_en.html The EU Water Framework Directive website.