L 348/84 Official Journal of the European Union 24.12.2008 DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2008/ 105/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 December 2008 on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy, amending and subsequently repealing Council Directives 82/176/EEC, 83/513/EEC, 84/156/EEC, 84/491/EEC, 86/280/EEC and amending Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 175(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), After consulting the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (9, Whereas: (1) Chemical pollution of surface water presents a threat to the aquatic environment with effects such as acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic organisms, accumulation in the ecosystem and losses of habitats and biodiversity, as well as a threat to human health. As a matter of priority, causes of pollution should be identified and emissions should be dealt with at source, in the most economically and environmentally effective manner. ()  As set out in second sentence of Article 174(2) of the Treaty, Community policy on the environment is to be based on the precautionary principle and on the prin- ciples that preventive action should be taken, that envi- ronmental damage should, as a priority, be rectified at source and that the polluter should pay. (3)  Pursuant to Article 174(3) of the Treaty, in preparing its policy on the environment, the Community is to take () O] C 97, 28.4.2007, p. 3. (%) Opinion of the European Parliament of 22 May 2007 (O] C 102 E, 24.4.2008, p. 90), Council Common Position of 20 December 2007 (O] C 71 E, 18.3.2008, p. 1) and Position of the European Parliament of 17 June 2008 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 20 October 2008. () ) ) 0 account of the available scientific and technical data, environmental conditions in the various regions of the Community, the economic and social development of the Community as a whole and the balanced development of its regions as well as the potential benefits and costs of action or lack of action. Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme (%) states that environment and health and quality of life are among the key environmental priorities of that Programme, highlighting in particular the need to establish more specific legislation in the field of water policy. Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (4) lays down a strategy against pollution of water and requires further specific measures for pollution control and environmental quality standards (EQS). This Directive lays down EQS in accordance with the provisions and objectives of Directive 2000/60/EC. In accordance with Article 4 of Directive 2000/60/EC, and in particular paragraph 1(a), Member States should implement the necessary measures in accordance with Article 16(1) and (8) of that Directive, with the aim of progressively reducing pollution from priority substances and ceasing or phasing out emissions, discharges and losses of priority hazardous substances. Numerous Community acts have been adopted since the year 2000 which constitute emission control measures in accordance with Article 16 of Directive 2000/60/EC for individual priority substances. Moreover, many environ- mental protection measures fall under the scope of other existing Community legislation. Therefore priority should be given to implementing and revising existing instruments rather than establishing new controls. L 242, 10.9.2002, p. 1. L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1.