15.12.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L331/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DECISION No 2455/2001/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 20 November 2001 establishing the list of priority substances in the field of water policy and amending Directive 2000/60/EC (Text with EEA relevance) 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 Economic and Social Committee (%), Following consultation of the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1)  Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on pollu- tion caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (* and the Directives adopted within its framework currently represent the major Community instrument for the control of point and diffuse discharges of dangerous substances. (2)  The Community controls under Council Directive 76/ 464/EEC have been replaced, harmonised and further developed by 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 (%). (3)  Under Directive 2000/60/EC specific measures must be adopted at Community level against pollution of water by individual pollutants or groups of pollutants presenting a significant risk to or via the aquatic envir- onment, including such risks to waters used for the abstraction of drinking water. Such measures are aimed at the progressive reduction and, for priority hazardous substances, as defined in the second sentence of point 30 of Article 2 of Directive 2000/60/EC, at the cessation or phasing out of discharges, emissions and losses (') OJ C 177 E, 27.6.2000, p. 74 and O] C 154 E, 29.5.2001, p. 117. () O C 268, 19.9.2000, p. 11. (*) Opinion of the European Parliament of 15 May 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 8 October 2001. () OJ L 129, 18.5.1976, p. 23. Directive as last amended by Directive 2000/60/EC (O] L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1). () O] L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1. within 20 years after their adoption at Community level, with the ultimate aim, as recognised in the context of achieving the objectives of relevant international agree- ments, of achieving concentrations in the marine envir- onment approaching background values for naturally occurring substances and close to zero for man-made synthetic substances. With a view to the adoption of these measures, it is necessary to establish, as Annex X to Directive 2000/60/EC, the list of priority substances, including the priority hazardous substances. The list has been prepared taking into account the recommendations referred to in Article 16(5) of Directive 2000/60/EC. For substances occurring naturally, or produced through natural processes, such as cadmium, mercury and poly- aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), complete phase-out of emissions, discharges and losses from all potential sources is impossible. When the relevant individual directives are drawn up, this situation must be properly taken into account and measures should aim at the cessation of emissions, discharges and losses into water of those priority hazardous substances which derive from human activities. Directive 2000/60/EC introduces in Article 16(2) a scientifically based methodology for selecting priority substances on the basis of their significant risk to or via the aquatic environment. The methodology set out in Directive 2000/60/EC enables, as a most practical option, the application of a simplified risk-based assessment procedure based on scientific principles taking particular account of: — evidence regarding the intrinsic hazard of the substance concerned, and, in particular, its aquatic ecotoxicity and human toxicity via aquatic exposure routes, — evidence from monitoring of widespread environ- mental contamination, and — other proven factors which may indicate the poss- ibility of widespread environmental contamination, such as production, use volume and use pattern of the substance concerned.