news release
    24th October 2003

Following a campaign action at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, Surfers Against Sewage can reveal that MEP's voted in favour of recreational water users such as surfers and windsurfers receiving protection under the new revised Bathing Water Directive.

As representatives of Europe's recreational water users SAS were on location at Parliament to make sure that the last thing MEP's saw before they went inside the building were wetsuit clad water users!

SAS were calling on MEP's to ensure that the revised Bathing Water Directive acknowledges that its not just 'swimmers', but all types of recreational water users that need protecting from sewage polluted water, that water quality standards need to be made tougher and that communication of water quality information to the public needs to be improved.

Green MEP Caroline Lucas and South West Labour MEP Glyn Ford met the surfers outside the building to lend their support to the campaign, before heading in to vote on what should and shouldn't be included within the directive.

Richard Hardy, Surfers Against Sewage:

"We're delighted with the outcome of today's vote. We count this as a small victory along the way to delivering a more relevant piece of legislation to protect water users. However, we recognise that MEP's were in no way united in their views. We've got our work cut out to make sure that the good work done today isn't undone in future sessions".

Today's vote was the first of two votes the European Parliament will make on this directive. The 15 Environment Ministers (Council of Ministers) will also consider the contents of the directive and between them will develop a common position.

Surfers Against Sewage will now maintain the pressure to ensure that the progressive steps made in today's session are not reversed when either the Council of Ministers or the European Parliament further work on the directive.

Images of the event will be available from Surfers Against Sewage Wed 22nd after 1pm. In addition to handing out plastic bottles containing a plea for help to MEP's the surfers also took the SAS inflatable turd into the river and past the Parliament building.

For further information please contact Vicky at the SAS office (01872) 553001 or Richard en route from Strasbourg 07711 767 548

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